Sheppard Reads Romance Novels?
by Lady Valmar
Summary: Sheppard catches the most unlikely of people reading a romance novel and then ends up reading one for himself, while Rodney discovers he has an admirer. Gen only. Complete.
1. The Path that is Not Always Clear

**A/N**: I've had this idea on stall for awhile ever since I began Lone shadow. I hope you enjoy. _Update: _I've edited spelling and grammar. This fiction will be have new chapters soon.

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Title: Sheppard Reads Romance Novels?

Author: Lady Valmar

Genre: Romance/Humor

Rating: T (not suitable for children under 16).

Archive: FF, SGAHC, Stargate_Atlantis_Slash, MakeBelieve

Pairings: Various, but mostly Sheppard and McKay centered. (Non-slash)

Spoilers: Season 2 onward

Summary: Sheppard catches the most unlikely of people reading a romance novel and then ends up reading one for himself, while Rodney discovers he has admirer. Gen only.

**Warnings: Slight adult content. Be fair warned. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate: Atlantis, or any of the novels mentioned in this fic or any of the characters, so everything else is mine and therefore please ask and do not infringe nor steal my original themes, concepts, ideas or characters please**.

… .LV. **…**

**Sheppard Reads Romance Novels?**

By _Lady Valmar

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_

**Song Inspiration**: Fever by Various Artists - Shanachie Records

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_He knew he had no choice. It was the only way. If he pretended otherwise he could say he felt relieved to know this was it. The end. But he didn't feel that release of tension, that he thought a bullet to the head would give. No. all he felt was guilt and sorrow. More terrible and intense than he had ever felt in his life._

_As he griped the gun in his hand closer, he felt a tremor ripple through the very fiber of his being. He could feel the trigger beneath his finger, the scent of soon to come copper touching his nostrils. _

_He took solace in that at least he wouldn't have to deal with the pain anymore. Any of it. The loss he felt inside of him would not cease. He would never see her sweet face again nor her beautiful hair, rippling down in cascades of raven water. Nor would he feel her warm embrace touching his stiff shoulders or her laughter like a Nightingale's song on the wind. _

_No, this was it. He had to end it…._

"Hey big guy. What are you reading?" asked Sheppard, coming to a stop in front of Ronon.

Shutting the book on the bookmark, Ronon looked up, with sunken eyes as he handed the book to Sheppard. Ronon remained unusually quiet as Sheppard examined his book.

Sheppard found his eyes skimming the cover, "_The Path That Is Not Always Clear_" by Jane S.T. Andrews Farwry. As he was about to hand it back, that is when his eyes caught three small little words at the very bottom of the book, "A Romance Novel." His eyebrows rose.

"Ronon you do realize you are reading a romance novel, don't you?" asked Sheppard, while flipping the book over to the back.

"It sounded good, I was bored. Read the back," grunted Ronon, while a smile played at his features.

So Sheppard read:

The path is not always clear as the path we try to assume we should be on. Transverse Markus's journey through the loss of his wife, to the dawn of a new life.

_Markus Tourlmark married Clarissa Dubrawl after he found out she was bearing his son. After two long years spent raising his child and his wife, he runs out on them, afraid his secret will cause them harm. When he returns, he learns his wife has died and his child has been taken by the very same people he had sought to protect his family from. He plans on committing suicide and even succeeds. Then the unthinkable happens, he wakes up in the hospital alive, with no memory of what has happened in the past two years. The problem is those who took his child and took his wife's life have not forgotten him and have been seeking him ever since. Markus will have to remember before it's too late or otherwise his secret will kill yet another life, the life of his son. While on his journey to remember he meets Jackie Runner, a jewel thief on the run, a quite attractive woman at that, who helps aid him in remembering. During the course he falls for her, will he choose her over the life of his son?_

Sheppard looked up, "Um, interesting. So who'd you get it from?

Ronon didn't answer but took the book back, and flipped it open again returning to reading it.

Sheppard rocked back and forth on his feet, "Well I can see you're really captivated by it so I'll just be going now…"

As Sheppard was about to leave, Ronon added, "If you want to read one there's a pile of them sitting in the recreation room."

With that, Sheppard made a quick exit out of the mess hall, trying for the life of God, not to laugh. It was odd for Ronon to be _that_ quiet, let alone reading a book and a romance novel at that, thought Sheppard, as he trembled with silent laughter in the hallway.

He hadn't really thought he would ever dare give a romance novel a second look or even a first but his book on "War and Peace," was giving him a headache. While he wasn't about to read a book like the one Ronon had, maybe just maybe he thought, he might find a worthy book to appease his reading appetite.

Eyeing the scenery before approaching the pile of books stacked haphazardly in the middle of room, he noticed only a few lone stragglers, doing much of the same thing he was doing. Giving up on making a permanent spot on the wall, his shoulder was leaning against, he sauntered up to the stack, eyeing it casually.

A sign above the stack caught his attention.

**Due the nature of lack of reading material on Atlantis, I, Dr. Weir, have authorized a book exchange to be set up. These books have been graciously donated and therefore are to be returned to the stack once you have finished reading it, for others to read.**

Smiling, he began to run his hand over a few books with various romancy titles. Ah! So they weren't all romance. He found a couple which he thought should really belong in a library for geeks such as Zelenka and McKay.

Snatching up a book which looked promising, Sheppard gazed at its cover, "The Stolen Bride" by Jacqueline Diamond. He tossed the book back on the pile.

Nope!

Next he picked up a book with a man in a cowboy hat. Reading the cover Sheppard raised an eyebrow, "Heart of the West: It Takes A Cowboy" by Gina Wilkins. Flipping the book over he read the back.

"Every man has his price! Lost springs Ranch was famous for turning young mavericks into good men. So when word that the ranch was in financial trouble, it sent a heard of loyal bachelors stampeding back to Wyoming to put themselves on the auction block!"

Sheppard smiled and decided well it was a bit weird to read a romance but why not, it sounds okay, after all it's got cowboys in it. Then something caught his eye, a book with clouds for a background, which he had no doubt came from Rodney, "Relativistic Astrophysics (Cambridge Contemporary Astrophysics)" by Bernard J.T. Jones. Of course he could be wrong; there were so many scientists on Atlantis. Sheppard reached for it and picked it up, laughing he tossed it back on the stack, Rodney was such a geek, truly.

Then as he shuffled another book, his mouth dropped open, "Artistic Licence" by Vivienne LaFay, quickly flipping the book over Sheppard read the back.

Set in Renaissance Florence, this tells the story of Carla who dresses as a boy, calling herself Carlo, in order to pursue a career as an artist. Her cross-dressing only invites advances from both sexes, however, and her artistic progress is matched by her sexual education until she falls for Marco, a fellow artist. To reveal her sexy secret could mean sacrificing all for love.

Snorting at the book, he tossed it back into the pile. Whoever had owned that book had taken good care of it. There was only one folded down page throughout the book and he had found himself trying to read it but a shifting shadow on his right side made him think better of it and put it back.

At that moment Stackhouse walked by, almost tripping and upon seeing Sheppard reversed his direction going back out the way he came. Sheppard thought it was best to pretend he didn't notice.

He snorted silently, and tried to find something that was classified as sci fi or an action paced book. After several other books along the same nature of his Cowboy novel or that science one, he came across a particularly odd book.

Reading the title, "Kushiel's Dart" by Jacqueline Carey, Sheppard cocked an eyebrow, hm… Deciding maybe if his luck was holding, it might be a book to look into. Glancing around for safe measure, Sheppard flipped the book and read the back.

_When Love cast me out, it was Cruelty who took pity on me. _

_The Land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good...and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of the angles and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt._

_Phedre no Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with a very special mission…_

Okay okay, hurry up, mouthed Sheppard as his eyes skimmed down towards the end of the summary.

Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies.

Sheppard dared to glance upward, only to meet the eyes of Lt. Cadman, who was eyeing the Artistic License novel. Sheppard quickly made a break for it with both the Cowboy novel and the Kushiel's Dart in hand, snorting again at the thought that Cadman would be reading that novel.

Once he had finally made it to his room, he realized he had two books, but the sign hadn't said how many you could take so; he didn't figure it would be a big deal.

"Sheppard?" beeped his com.

"Yeah?" drawled Sheppard while eyeing the Kushiel book.

"Your needed down in the lab. Rodney needs you to activate this device," spoke Radek.

Sheppard rolled his eyes, sighed and dropped the books on his bed. Without sparing a glance, Sheppard turned on his heel and left.

The Kushiel's Dart book, flipped open on its way onto the bed, tossing a scrape of rosy paper out of it into the air. Flitting down, the paper scrap rested under the edge of Sheppard's bed.

"Yeah I'm coming."

* * *

**Later on in the evening**

Sheppard had finally gotten time to himself, after McKay's fussing over him activating devices; he strolled back to his room and removed his jacket.

Taking off his com, Sheppard flopped on his bed, only to jump up, and pull two objects from underneath himself.

Oh right, the books. Hm, I wonder which one I should read, thought Sheppard as he picked up both books.

At first he was flipping open the cowboy book, but then the cover on the other made him think twice. Hastily stashing the book on his bedside table, Sheppard lay down on his bed, and opened 'Kushiel's Dart.'

…_Bistre, then, rich and liquid dark; save for the left eye, where in the iris that ringed the black pupil, a fleck of color shone. And it shone red, and indeed, red is a poor word for the color it shone. Scarlet, call I, or crimson; redder than a rooster's wattles or the glazed apple in a pig's mouth. Thus did I enter the world, with an ill-luck name and a pinprick of blood emblazoned in my gaze…_

Sheppard found the book enchanting, if a bit odd. He was not used to reading a book like this and he wasn't sure he found it all that interesting to begin with but before he knew it he had found himself lost to its pages, his mind yearning to learn of Phedre's fate.

Sheppard found by chapter 9 that he would not be putting the book down until he finished. So he quickly folded the corner of the page down and began to undress for bed. When he had finished he was wearing only a clean black T-shirt and his blue boxers.

Climbing back into his bed, Sheppard dimmed the lights, and pulled the sheets over himself. With a final stretch, he picked the book back up and continued reading.

One particular part towards the end of the chapter caught his attention and he found himself, holding his breath in anticipation as he read on.

…_This is how we pray, who are Servants of Naamah._

_Breaking the kiss, she knelt before him and flung her hair forward so it cascaded about his loins, silken tendrils twining about his erect…_

Sheppard looked up, and found his eyes returning to the page.

…_until she gasped, hands clenching against the working muscles of his back, her legs wrapped around him. He arched back then and held hard. I could feel the heat rising between my own…_

At that moment, Sheppard's door chimed and he flung the book up in the air, having been startled. Composing himself, he reached for his sweatpants and pulled them on.

"Yeah..._huff_…whose…_huff_…there?" asked Sheppard, trying hard to control his breathing.

"It's McKay, Look I need you to come back to the lab."

_Groan_

"I know it's late but I figured you'd be up. Come on, I try to rarely ask you anymore to help activate devices. You know that," said Rodney.

Sheppard glanced once downward to make sure he hadn't…well…you get the picture. Returning back to his bed, Sheppard retorted, "Fine…_huff_…I'll be right there…_huff_…okay. Just give me…_huff_…a minute."

He quickly made sure the page was folded down and he hid the book under his covers just in case, and then quickly went out through his door bumping into Rodney on his way out.

"Jeez, McKay," grouched Sheppard as he rubbed his elbow.

Rodney stood there, eyeing Sheppard and taking in the sweating stink and haggard breathing.

"Um…on second thought…maybe I should come back later…you look…um…busy," said McKay, edging away towards the transport.

Sheppard's eyes narrowed, "What?"

Then it hit him, his breathing…his… "Wait, Rodney, it's not what you think."

Just as he saw the transport doors close, Rodney gave him a disgusted look.

Well so much for helping him out…thought Sheppard as he made a dash back to his room.

Dropping his pants on his chair, Sheppard got back into bed and picked up the book.

At last, thought Sheppard, as he returned to page 81, a slight grin on his face.

* * *

**A/N**: All of the books mentioned are real, except one, and you can get them online or in a bookstore. The fake book is "_The Path That Is Not Always Clear_" by Jane S.T. Andrews Farwry. I just made that one up. This is just a teaser. If you want more, review me!


	2. People Are Careless With Their Books

**A/N**: I actually have read Kushiel's Dart; it's my one of my favorite books.

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… **.LV. **…

**Part 2:**

**People Are Just Careless With Their Books**

By _Lady Valmar

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_

**Song Inspiration**: Hey Ya! By OutKast

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Sheppard shifted in his bed, clutching the book close to his chest. He murmured "mmm," while rolling onto his side.

He dreamed of a beautiful woman with a red mote in her eye, caressing his body in fresh water, while another woman played with his hair, kissing and nibbling on his ear.

He dipped his hand into the water, it was smooth and he had never felt something so pure. The one woman licked his cheek, while the other woman with the red mote began to fling her hair down his body, making him laugh.

Sheppard awoke to his hand sitting in a glass of water; he had left on his bedside table. Moaning softly Sheppard pulled his hand out and wiped it on his sheet. Rubbing his eyes, Sheppard sat up.

Funny he hadn't remembered falling asleep.

Sheppard checked his watch and realized he had missed his daily run with Ronon. He rather reluctantly sat his book down to clean up. After a good long, warm shower to rise off the warmth of the dream, he towel dried and dressed in his usual attire of black shirt and sweat pants. After bookmarking his book with a string he had found, Sheppard left, seeking out Teyla for a practice session.

As Sheppard entered the practice room he found Teyla was not there. So he treaded down to the mess hall, thoughts of food drifting into his mind. After grabbing some breakfast Sheppard noticed Teyla and Ronon at a far back table both in deep discussion, their heads were bowed towards each other, and they were sitting rather closer than normal.

Sheppard smiled once Teyla caught sight of him, and he waltzed on over to them. He soon found himself eying _The Path That Is Not Always Clear _novel.

"Colonel is something wrong?" asked Teyla while trying to cover the book with her hand.

"No, I just wanted to apologize to Ronon and you for missing our run and practice," said Sheppard, eying Teyla's hand on the book.

Flopping down in front of the two of them, Sheppard began to attack his food with his fork, gobbling down the hash browns first.

"Yes, we were rather concerned when you didn't show but Lt. Cadman came by and said you were probably busy reading. So we thought not to disturb you," explained Teyla.

"Oh really? Well as a matter of fact I was. So Ronon you enjoying that book so far?" garbled Sheppard through bouts of his egg chewing.

Ronon looked distinctly unpleasant and said, "No I am not. This man has no sense of honor whatsoever and the woman he meets, she is no woman I would ever trust to help me, were I in the position that he was in."

"Oh well. I'm sorry to hear that," said Sheppard as Teyla slid another book underneath the one Ronon had been reading.

"Well Colonel, I must be going. I have many things to attend to," said Teyla as she got up to leave, still clutching the books in her hands.

"Um yeah, got some stuff to do," muttered Ronon as he sauntered off after Teyla.

"Weird," said Sheppard, after eating the rest of his bacon.

It wasn't until almost 3 in the afternoon that Sheppard had the opportunity to return to his room. He plunked himself down on his bed, while yanking off the com and picking up the book.

Flipping open to where he had dozed off last night, Sheppard continued.

"You will kneel in my presence, whore," he said nonchalantly…

Sheppard grinned, this was getting good.

…Ah, if only he had known! I accepted him eagerly, lips and tongue working frantically putting into practice at last the knowledge of a thousand hours' of study and more. He groaned as he climaxed, shoving me away and tearing the…

Sheppard felt the heat rise under his skin, he had never thought Romance novels could be so spicy!

Another beep from his com, stopped Sheppard mid sentence.

"Hello, Sheppard?"

_Groan_

"This is Dr. Beckett, you need to get down here now!" yelled the excited voice of Carson.

Sheppard growled out his frustration and yet again book marked his book with the string. Giving the book a longing gaze Sheppard clomped out of his room.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"Hm. oh…Relativistic Astrophysics (Cambridge Contemporary Astrophysics)" by Bernard J.T. Jones, sounds good," said Radek, as he picked the book up and eyed it's cover.

Shuffling off to one side, his assistant nodded and picked up another book along the same nature.

Flipping open the cover Radek, read, "Techniques on the art of lovemaking, by Koi Matrix."

"Wait, a minute this isn't a astrophysics book…" said Radek, while glancing once around to make sure nobody had heard him.

Flipping a few pages he read,

Some couples find it… when the insertive partner…extra pressure upwards when withdrawing to involve her… It might also feel good to her for you to use your thumb…

_Holding the "penetratee," gliding your hand all over her body. Depending on your mutual comfort levels with these sorts of things, you might also experiment with one or more of the following…_

Radek didn't notice when his assistant had left or when Rodney came sauntering in, but he soon found his feet carrying him back to his room.

Hm I could use this book for research…yes research, thought Radek.

* * *

Rodney ran towards the stack of books, after seeing Zelenka saunter off, nope his book was not there.

How could he have been so careless?

Rodney frantically moved the books in the stack, hoping he had missed its cloud covered page, but still he found nothing. Then his eyes saw a book sitting off to one side of the bin, its covers ragged and torn. Reaching for it Rodney, saw it was not just any book but someone's diary?

As if on cue two female techs began their journey towards where Rodney stood. Rodney quickly backed out of his passing fantasies of getting a woman's journal full of dirty secrets, enough to take the nearest transport to his lab.

Once in his lab Rodney, paced back and forth his hand still clutching the diary, his eyes searching the lab tables for any sign of his own book. After a time, Rodney sat down on a stool, and began to curiously open the cover.

It read, "_property of sagefan, please return if found. Thanks_"

"Who the heck is sagefan and return it to who?" thought Rodney, while skimming some pages outlined in pink,

**Men on Atlantis**

_**Dr Rodney McKay**__ – irritating, annoying, sensitive, squishy, egotistic, complainer, whiner, hypoglycemic, beautiful blue eyes, nice strong hands, cute sometimes. Makes me want to tackle him and kiss him and then tickle him. He is just so dog-gone cute_. _Note: had a dream of us having…_

Rodney's eyes widened, and he grinned while reading onward.

_**Lt. Colonel John Sheppard**__ – Handsome, headstrong, determined, proud, leader, ­__Sexy,__ nice lips, crazy but nice hair, drives me wild, I want to just rip his clothing off and kiss him passionately. Very internal like me. Nice sense of humor and his silly facial expressions make me want to squeeze his cheeks (face or other cheeks.)_ _Sometimes I get these dreams about Sheppard hunting me like he would if he were tracking a Wraith and then aiming his gun at me and telling me to kneel, then he gets cord and ties me up and proceeds to torture me by undressing in front of me…_

Rodney had had enough, he shut the diary and grumbled about why did Sheppard always get fans that were obsessed with doing 'it' with him. Then Rodney found himself opening the diary again to read another entry.

Sheppard is turning into something and I don't know if he will be all right. I've asked Dr. Weir but she refuses to tell me anything other than that he will be okay etc. I'm tired of people telling me what they think I can handle. Jeez! Then I found out that Rodney almost got killed by the very same bug that Sheppard is mutating into. I cried in my room, I almost ran at Rodney that day he came back through the gate, and held him close. Sure there has been incidents in which he has faced dangerous situations but I don't think I felt as strongly then as I do now for him…

Who in the world is sagefan and more importantly is if it's a woman than why hadn't he seen her in the gateroom that day?

Rodney eyed some funny drawings of a girl kissing a cartoon drawing of himself, though the girl had a mask on, making Rodney frown. As he flipped through a few more entries Rodney found one in which he saw a cartoon drawing of himself, Sheppard and Dr. Beckett all dressed in various SNM costumes while the character stood off to one side saying in a word bubble, "So who wants some action first boys?"

Rodney nearly dropped the book, he had to find out who it was and more importantly was this person somebody he knew?

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**A/N**: Don't worry more is to come. Hehehe so did you think Rodney will find out who sagefan is? LOL!


	3. Everybody has Something to Hide

**A/N: ** Omg I actually bought some cheesey Romance novels… eeek! Well I got to have some material with which to work from, right?

* * *

… **.LV. **…

**Part 3:**

**Everybody has Something to Hide**

By _Lady Valmar

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_

**Song Inspiration**: Distracted by i5

* * *

Sheppard had just finished listening to a spiel by Carson on how he had made progress on the retrovirus when on his way out of the infirmary he ran into Rodney, who looked worried.

"Rodney," said Sheppard raising his eyebrows slightly in greeting.

"Sheppard. Have you seen Radek?" asked a disgruntled Rodney.

"No, why?" asked Sheppard peering at the man, who always seemed to have something on his mind.

"Just wondering. Carson have you?" asked Rodney, hastily.

Turning from one of his new patients with nasty boils on his arm, Carson queried, "Seen who?"

"RADEK!" shouted Rodney, making Carson startle and then supplying, "You know for a doctor you should pay more attention to the people around you. Well if either of you see him tell him, he had better come and see me now!" grouched Rodney stalking out of the infirmary, his hands swinging at his sides.

"What was that about?" asked Carson, eying Rodney's retreating form.

Sheppard just swung his head over with a perplexed expression, "I don't know…I'm guessing it might have something to do with a romance novel."

Sheppard and Carson grinned at one another.

"Oh really? Romance novel?" asked Carson, moving out of the way as a nurse checked on the nearby patient's bandages.

"Yeah."

As Carson shifted the stethoscope around his neck, he asked nonchalantly, "Hm I wonder where he got it from?"

No point in letting his interest in romance novels out, or the fact that several people he had seen today were reading some sort of novel or another. It was like back in high school when everyone got into a new trend.

"Really now Carson, didn't you hear in the recreation room there is a pile of books. Most of them are romance novels but there is a few medical science ones…from what I…" explained Sheppard, trailing off at the end. He decided instead to supply, "Well from what I've heard," after receiving a cocked eyebrow from Carson.

Sheppard made an excuse and practically raced out of the infirmary leaving Carson, to laugh.

Soon enough Carson found time to visit the rec. room for a novel. He had sidled up to the stack, eying residents in the room, who all appeared to be doing the same thing, most of them men. Being brave Carson, flicked his fingertips over a few titles, which made him smile, 'Warrior's Song' by Catherine Coulter, 'True Colors' by Doris Mortman and some titles he couldn't believe people would dare donate to the stack.

Sgt. Bates remained firmly rooted to his spot near the doorway, watching as Carson picked up 'Catch Me by A..' He refused to let his fear of romance novels stop him from getting that one book, the book Carson was now reading.

Casually Carson flipped a few pages in Catch Me only to find that his eyes wandered countless times back to a book titled, 'A Kingdom of Dreams' by Judith McNaught. Guardedly picking up the book, Carson snuck out of the rec. room both books in hand.

* * *

**Dr. Weir's Office**

It was like an epidemic, people who she thought would never read romance novels let alone novels at all, were picking up books from the stack in the rec. room. This was beneficial; people needed a good distraction from all the turmoil and mayhem that they all had endured during their stay in Atlantis.

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and continued to write up her reports, watching as Ronon and Teyla approached her door.

Ronon and Teyla both stood in front of her desk, worried expressions on their faces.

"Yes, Ronon, Teyla. Please come in. I heard that you wanted to talk to me about something," said Dr. Weir.

"Yes Dr. Weir, we believe…I believe Ronon has something important that you need to know," said Teyla awkwardly, while settling into the chair in front of the desk.

Ronon remained standing and stepped closer to the desk.

"Yes," said Ronon, his voice sharp and to the point.

"Okay, please, have a seat," motioned Weir, her hand angled at the chair next to Teyla.

He remained standing however and refused to move, "This novel I picked up makes no sense. The man has no honor. I do not know how he could mourn for his wife by taking a new one nor how he could let his child die."

The air stilled as the incredulous, if but puzzled face of Dr. Weir, waited for Ronon to continue.

"Dr. Weir, I am not as familiar with the book, and I believe you may be able to explain it better to him than I," said Teyla, humor touching her features.

"Okay, what book is it?" asked Dr. Weir, suddenly feeling 'déjà vu'.

"It's "_The Path That Is Not Always Clear_" by Jane S.T. Andrews Farwry," said Ronon as he prepared to hand the book to Dr. Weir.

"We thought since you had previously owned the book that you might have a better take on it than someone who may not of read it," said Teyla, shifting her weight.

Dr. Weir just eyed the book, as she flipped open the back page, there sat a message in red letters,

"To Elizabeth. from Simon, though you might like this book."

Elizabeth's eyes shaded.

"Dr. Weir, if it is inconvenient Ronon can ask someone else," said Teyla, concern ebbing out from her voice.

"What she said," added Ronon, crossing his arms and leaning forward in his chair.

"No, it's fine. So what would you like to know?" asked Weir, leaning her elbows on her desk.

* * *

**Sheppard's Room**

Sheppard had taken the opportunity to spend the rest of day on one of his favorite balconies, his book in hand.

He had found after the last couple of chapters, he was going to need a cold breeze.

Drawing the sword he carried for the Prince's protection, he lodged the tip of it under the skirts of my gown and began to raise them. "Come, then, let us have a look!" he said, laughing. Baudoin's interest was piqued; he pushed Suriah to one side and leaned forward to look.

Sheppard stretched and read onward, still every now and then keeping an eye out for anyone who might catch him reading this kind of novel.

I felt a touch on the back of my neck. "Phedre." I knew her voice; it sent a shiver of cold fire down my spine. I looked up to see Melisande Shahrizai smiling down upon me… "I believe I have found the perfect gift for Prince Baudoin tonight," she said casually, twining her hand in my hair. "You". Jerking her grip tight, she brought me hard up against her and kissed me.

Sheppard didn't notice the figure leaning against the column as he plowed onward, his eyes glued to his novel, a slight fleck of drool beginning to slide out of his mouth.

"So, you read Romance novels, Sheppard?" asked Rodney, playfully making a staged sigh with his hand over his forehead.

"O Derick, please don't let me die, I need you so much. Please I can't live without you," mocked Rodney his face gleaming with pleasure.

Sheppard molded his face into the sternest glare he could muster, while bookmarking his book.

"Hahah very funny and it's not a romance novel, it's actually considered a fantasy novel," said Sheppard matter of factly, standing up.

"Oh yeah than why do you have some drool on your chin?" said Rodney, pointing to Sheppard's face.

Sheppard wiped off the drool, and felt his face start to flush.

"I told you it isn't a 'romance novel' it's a fantasy novel and what's that you got there?" said Sheppard, as his eyes locked onto the dingy looking journal clutched in Rodney's grasp.

"Oh nothing," said Rodney, while backing away from Sheppard.

"Rodney, what are you doing?" quizzed Sheppard, flanking Rodney's right, blocking his quick escape.

"What. I'm just. I was just leaving," said Rodney, slipping past Sheppard, a grip of death on the bounded journal.

Sheppard tried to make a grab for it but Rodney had either lost some pounds or was far better at making escapes than Sheppard thought, because he ended up smacking his hand into the door.

"Ow!" protested Sheppard, rubbing his hand.

Ah wells back to the book, thought Sheppard, climbing back into the chair and immersing himself in his novel.

* * *

Rodney had just barely made it out of Sheppard's grasp when he came face to face with Radek on his way to the lab, who had a smug look on his face.

"RADEK! There you are!" quipped Rodney.

"Where's my…I mean…wheres the…the Relativistic Astrophysics Book?" asked Rodney casually, gazing sideways at Radek.

"Why Rodney, what would you know about book?" asked Radek, curiously.

"Uh…no reason. Just heard it was a good book is all."

"Oh really. I'm really sorry but I don't know what you're talking about Rodney. I must get back to work," explained Radek, daring Rodney to reply.

* * *

**A/N**: Sheppard had better be careful, that book could get him in trouble. So could Rodney having someone else's journal.


	4. With Morning

**A/N**: Things heat up for Shep. Rodney gets a clue. Sgt. Bates tries to sneak back a book.

* * *

… **.LV. **…

**Part 4:**

**With Morning**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration: **Ecstasy (Original Airplay Mix) by ATB

* * *

_Sheppard's body shook as he felt the height of an intense wave crescendo over him, taking his breath away. When he had found his way back down, the mess he had made was quite a sight._

_As his breathing slowed, a lazy grin pulled at his mouth, until a knock interrupted his musings. Then without warning Rodney came bursting in._

_Sheppard groped for the sheets to cover him self and managed to do so before Rodney saw anything, but what Rodney did see made his mouth drop open in shock. _

"_Uhh…Sheppard why is there white…Uhh eewww…I'll just be outside," said Rodney, his full of avid repugnance._

Sheppard awoke with a start, clenching the sheets up to his chin.

It was only a dream. It was only a dream. Thought Sheppard, trying hard not to stare towards the door, where in his dream Rodney had come bursting through. Quite literally actually.

Sheppard sat up his eyes darting from his bed to door a couple of times.

**What a nightmare!**

Sheppard stretched his legs out and jumped in surprise as pain shouted out from a certain _area._

Not now! Thought Sheppard, feeling the telltale signs of the vasocongestion or otherwise known as'_blue_ _balls'_.

Trying hard not to move too much he slid out of bed, it was only 3 in the morning but he couldn't sleep after that kind of dream and especially being in the condition that he was in.

There was only one way to relieve his condition and that was obvious except for the fact that he was sore…

So, he resigned to take a long, cold shower, and then afterwards to get some fresh air.

Feeling slightly refreshed and better he dressed in some old sweatpants and a blue shirt, and plucked his book up.

He wanted to read more, but he knew that it would only make things probably worse for him. So instead he dropped it back down on his bed and left.

Returning to his favorite balcony Sheppard gazed out at the horizon, feeling the cold air caress his face. The air, however, didn't stop the yearning he was feeling.

Despite the sore ache if he didn't relieve it how much worse would it be if he went to work like this?

_I should probably remedy the problem soon otherwise you may not be able to focus all throughout the day_, thought Sheppard to himself.

It occurred to him, that if he was careful enough he could, in a sense, relieve the stress, while on this balcony.

Just the thought alone sent excitement coursing through him, but he really didn't want another Rodney episode, only this time in real life, and then he really would be humiliated

But, he surprised himself, by drifting his hand towards the hem of the pants, keeping his eyes peeled for any onlookers or signs of Rodney. Then slowly began to unzip.

It had ended just as quickly as it had started, and he found that even though it was rather one of the more embarrassing things he had ever done, that it had helped.

Only problem was well…the mess. Sheppard raced back to his room and took another cool shower, finally relief.

As the water coursed over his hot, languid body, he began to wonder why Rodney had suddenly dropped by on _his_ balcony the other day.

_What was Rodney up to, and I have got to find out why he has a journal, could be something I could use as leverage against him telling everybody that I'm reading a romance novel_, thought Sheppard, with an evil grin.

And what is going on with Ronon and Teyla are they…?

As quickly as Sheppard thought about it, it passed.

No they wouldn't, would they and why am I even thinking about this. Back to the book.

Sheppard dropped back onto his bed and tore the book up to his eyes, continuing his obsessive reading.

His only regret was that he wouldn't be able to finish off the next chapters because he had to return to gate travel later on in the day.

With that in mind, Sheppard continued onward.

_I turned to the languisement when he groaned, kneeling solicitously, unbuttoning his voluminous pantaloons and taking him into my mouth. I thought that would be the undoing of him, but he surprised me, spilling me onto my back and tossing my legs into the air, performing the act of giving homage to Naamah with two years' pent vigor._

_…The young man standing in the shadows behind me bowed in the traditional manner of the Cassiline Brotherhood, hands crossed before him at chest level…"Phedre no Deluanay," he said formally, "I am Joscelin Verreuil of the Cassiline Brotherhood. It is my privilege to attend."_

Before the sun began to rise, Sheppard had again found the urge for another release, this time thankfully, in his own room.

* * *

Rodney had been trying, since he'd heard Radek had been seen plucking a cloud-covered book from the rec room, to find ways to get that book back.

His latest attempt had been when he had thought Radek had gone out onto the balcony but he ended up finding Sheppard reading, what he was pretty sure was a romance novel. It was actually prefect timing, the only problem was that he had forgotten about the journal and had to make a break for it when Sheppard saw it.

The last thing he wanted was for anybody to know he had some woman's diary and was reading it.

Which reminded Rodney, as he took of sip of his coffee, reclining in the plastic chair in his room that if he finished typing his summary of his latest research that he would have just enough time before the mission briefing to read some more of the diary.

Within the hour Rodney was pulling up the journal to read another entry he had skimmed yesterday without really reading.

_Dr. Carson Beckett – Adorable with that demur doctor attitude. Beautiful, absolutely stunningly blue eyes and I want to suck on his lips. I must admit most of the time when he speaks to me, I end up watching his lips and I sometimes can't help but subconsciously lick my lips and I try so hard not to do that but I can't help it. Sometimes I have these fantasies or dreams about him telling me I need a very thorough examination and then he tells me to strip down and he corners me on one of those cots and he kisses me as I squeal, "Oh doctor, do you really think there is something wrong with me?" And he answers, " Oh yes, there could me something very serious wrong here, I am going to need to keep you in the infirmary for a couple of days, just to be sure," as he slides his hands down my sides and pulls off the one plastic surgical glove he has on. Carson's accent eegah! I just swoon everytime I hear it…_

Rodney shook his head, what was it with women and doctors, well the medical kind anyways, sheesh!

Another entry this time with imagery.

A heroic sketching of Carson with surgical gloves performed a gynecological examine on a woman. A purple mask hid her face.

Rodney flipped the page quickly only to come across an entry titled, '**First Date**.'

His eyes popped out as he read the entry.

_He went out on a date. A date with her! Disgusting! Why would he want to date her! Of all people! I knew he had a thing for blondes but she isn't even blonde. Of course neither am I…but that's not the point. She may be sweet but I bet she has some deep dark secret, like maybe she was a man in a previous life. _

Rodney gasped.

Whoever this woman was she was not blonde, she had wanted him, Sheppard and Carson and she knew about his date with Katie.

Reading on, Rodney tried to ignore the crude sketching of Katie getting bonked on the head with a pencil.

_Today is the day, I'm going to march right up to him and confess my feelings to him. Uh. On second thought, nope. I'm just too chicken. So sue me! Ow here he comes again, his round tush jiggling. Oh! Did I actually say jiggling. Oh and nevermind his tush, that…_

Rodney closed the diary and walked over to the mirror, backing up to it he walked forward, watching his backside.

Oh wow it does jiggle, thought Rodney as he found himself blushing, some woman is looking at my tush…I have got to take a cold shower.

Rodney set the diary under his pillow, picking up a new towel from his drawer, while removing his shoes.

* * *

Sgt. Bates, walked down the hallway to the infirmary. Trying hard not to make too much sound.

Swiping his hand over the crystal to the door, he stepped inside, being mindful of the light where Carson's desk was.

As he approached the desk, there sat the book, propped open by a stone paperweight. Glancing around he casually picked it up, stashing it on the inside of his jacket.

Moving forward he snuck back out, so far so good.

Then his foot hit a small box and he tripped making a pole used for I.V. drips fall over.

Dashing out of the infirmary he heard Beckett yell, "Who's there?"

* * *

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	5. Right now another please

**A/N:** Boardroom silliness. Beckett gets some free time. Dr. Weir finds out Radek is up to something. Sagefan asks for some help.

* * *

… **.LV. **…

**Part 5:**

**Right now another please**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration**: Sexual Capacity by Color Me Badd

* * *

Sheppard entered the boardroom, plopping down onto a chair, a look of utter disappointment on his face.

Since early in the morning he had woken up to find a pillow in a place it shouldn't be and two that he had to go on a mission in which he couldn't take his book along to read.

Darting glances around at everyone, Sheppard thrummed his fingers on the table, trying hard not to focus on where all the blood in his body was situating itself.

Across from him Ronon and Teyla were discussing something in hushed whispers.

"According to Team 4 planet MX5679 is a trading colony. Now I have spoken to the man in charge and he is willing to trade food for medical supplies, that's all. Colonel, what I would like you and your team to do is to see if you can't convince him to trade technology instead, for medical supplies," said Dr. Weir, her hands clasped on the table.

Sheppard didn't hear a word of what she said, he found his attention kept returning back to the book, and he began to imagine both Phedre and Melisandre in front of him. Melisandre wore her black velvet skirts, with bodice tight at her torso. Phedre wore her transparent white gauze dress with a diamond about her throat. He felt a smile creep across his face as Melisandre pulled close, Phedre, for a passionate kiss. The song 'Burn for You' by Kreo, beating to their tonguing action.

It may have only been a short while, but now everyone in the boardroom, was eying the Colonel, who had a glazed look.

"Sheppard, I'm sorry but are we boring you?" asked Cadwell.

"Sheppard are you all right?" asked Weir, concern ebbing from her.

He didn't hear her, but soon the stupid grin that had spread across his face dissolved as his eyes focused on Rodney, who was beginning to wave at him, annoyed.

"Honestly, Sheppard are you even paying the slightest bit of attention. This is important you know!" snapped McKay.

"huh? Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just a little tired I guess. Continue." Said Sheppard quickly, blinking at his hands than rubbing his eyes.

"Of course you are," said Rodney, a smug look on his face.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It just means that you should probably giving this more priority than you daydreaming about your novel."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Yes I did…you know Rodney. I could say the same thing about, only I would have to substitute novel for…"

"Enough! Gentlemen focus." Said Dr. Weir, her stern look making them both fidget.

A blaring alarm and the sound of chevrons lighting up made all present jump.

"Unauthorized off-world activation," announced a snappy voice, into Dr. Weir's headset.

* * *

Dr. Beckett had just finished a grueling surgery on one of the Athosian women who had appendicitis, three broken arms and had removed broken shards lodged in one of the technician's arms. He was tired and he still had no idea who had stolen his book from his desk.

He decided after all the action that he needed a break, so grabbing up another book, he laid down on his personal cot in his office, to read.

Chapter One

_A toast to the duke of Claymore and his bride!"_

_Under normal circumstances, this call for a wedding toast would have caused the lavishly dressed ladies and gentlemen assembled in the great hall at Merrick castle to smile and cheer. Goblets of wine would have been raised and more toasts offered in celebration of a grand and noble wedding such as the one which was about to take place here in the south of Scotland._

_But not today. Not at this wedding._

Carson had read steadily until a knock outside his door, brought his attention back to reality. Putting the book back in the drawer, he stalked off to help yet another patient, only this one had serious burns.

It was rare for him to find time to read let alone be left undisturbed for more than 30 minutes at time. He loved his job but he also was starting to feel burnt out.

* * *

After the false alarm had been dealt with and Sheppard's team had departed, Dr. Weir decided to drop by Dr. Zelenka's lab to see if he had any more progress on the recent ancient device that she had actually stumbled across while in her own room.

Upon entering she heard, what sounded very suspiciously like an argument. She soon realized it was far from one. She could occasionally hear some of it.

…_no no no! I told you it doesn't work like that…_

_But Dr. Zelenka…it suppose to do it that way…_

_No it's not…oh…my…right there…_

_I told you it's more like this…_

_Maybe I should consult the manual again…_

…_no maybe you should try aiming higher…like there_

…_Yes I think I see…_

…_Oh MY!!! HARDER!!!_

Feeling her face flush, Dr. Weir she wasn't too sure if this had to do with the device or not but she decided the best thing was to probably leave. As the doors shut behind her, a female voice screamed.

More! Please don't stop Radek! My God you're a pro! I swear it…

* * *

"Melissa? Have you seen my diary, I've been looking everywhere for it"

Dr. Melissa Reeds turned to face the query, "Nope, but I really think, Da…_sagefan_ that you should be more careful with your stuff. I mean just think about it. What if someone you wrote about finds it.

It was bad enough her co-worker was very girlie but now this diary crap. She had more important things to do than deal with the girl's lack of wisdom. Seriously, how immature was it to keep a diary and show it to your co-worker?

"I know, I know. Meliss but I can't help what already has happened, could you just help me," said sagefan, annoyed.

"Well, where did you leave it last?" said Dr. Reeds, while shuffling the papers in her hand.

Maybe if she pretended she cared it would get the woman off her back?

"I told you I don't…oh wait I didn't tell you did I?"

"No, I don't think so." Oh here goes another long winded story, thought Melissa.

"Okay, okay. So here's the story…I think maybe I might have sat it in McKay's lab or…oh my god!"

"What?"

"I think I donated my diary to the book pile thing in the rec room!" screamed sagefan, throwing up one hand in the air and the other covering her mouth.

"So go to the rec room and get it back."

"But what if someone already has it?"

"Then your going to have to figure it out. Look, I have work to do so if you want to go chase your stuff down by all means go."

Running from the lab, sagefan took a transport and ran straight towards the stack, unfortunately bonking into one of the military personnel, who shook his head at her.

Picking up the books on the top layer, she tossed them aside, having several land in front of the man, who she had just run into. He picked up a book casually and walked off.

"NO! NO! NO! It's not here," said sagefan, a look of exasperation in her eyes.

* * *

**A/N:** More to follow. Please be patient.


	6. Having Trouble

**Warning**: Some slight cussing and suggestion nothing more.

* * *

… **.LV. **…

**Part 6:**

**Having Trouble**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration:** Elevation by U2

* * *

It had been one long exhausting, brutal mission.

Brutal- meaning having to be talked to, at and with and getting nowhere in the process as a result.

Sheppard and his team had made no headway on convincing the 'man in charge' to accept or rather accommodate to the terms Dr. Weir wanted.

Sheppard had even had Teyla negotiate with the man for four hours but he wouldn't budge, so he gave word to Weir on the progress.

She reluctantly called it off, to the relief of everyone. Giving the all clear to settle for their original negotiations. Sheppard didn't find it surprising that Rodney and the other members of his team were not all that disappointed.

With food in tow, and no technology to speak of, his team headed back through the gate to Atlantis. Sheppard had to admit that was very relieved. After the briefing, Sheppard found himself hastily retreating until he stood within the confines of his quarters.

He leaned down to pick up his book while preparing to drop his…

"Colonel Sheppard?" chirped a female voice, outside his door.

Sheppard startled and quickly redressed, scrambling for the buttons and the zipper. He glanced down at his book, _Damn!_

"Yeah? Who is it?"

"It's um…a…a…nevermind."

"Wait, if it's something important?"

"Na no it isn't, sa…sorry to, to, bother yoo u."

The sound of feet beating against the stone floor echoed in the voice's absence.

Whether out of curiosity or annoyance at being disturbed, Sheppard ran to the door and peered out of it. The figure was gone but he couldn't help feel something about it was suspicious.

He peaked around the cover of his door, to look again.

Nope. Nothing.

Snapping his fingers, Sheppard cocked his eyebrow and made an about face.

Striding back to his bed, Sheppard glanced around once, grinned and then began to undo the buttons on his pants. In his excitement, Sheppard jerked the zip down a little too hard…

Yelping and swearing a string of curses, Sheppard, keeled over onto his bed, belly first, hands clasped around the area in question, his eyes shut tight.

The mantra '_patience is a virtue'_ kept circulating in his head as he mentally kicked himself.

_Deep breaths, Sheppard, deep breaths_, thought Sheppard as he massaged the area.

Finally he rolled over onto his back, and sat up. Daring a peak, he observed the damage.

…thank goodness, only hair, thought Sheppard. Hair caught in the zipper was better than something else. That was for sure.

Sheppard shoved his pants off the rest of the way, glaring at the zipper, than flopped the pants onto his chair. He reclined in his bed, snatching up his book.

"_Ah, no; you've warned him, my dear. A Cassiline would sooner die than betray his oath," Melisande whispered, so close I could feel her lips move. I closed my eyes and shuddered, "And anyway, I would rather ask you."_

…"_I'll put her down, flat on her back!" he declared, setting me back on my feet with another resounding kiss…I had never hated any patron, having entered every contract freely, in homage to Naamah. I hated this man now, who would take me without consent, by virtue of an ownership he held through betrayal. "I am my lord's servant," I said stoically._

_The arousement alone was enough for my Skaldi lord; I had barely begun the languisement when he gave a mighty whoop and toppled me onto his fur-clad bed, harpooning me with the gusto of a starving whaler._

Finding the blood rushing again; Sheppard book marked and sat it on his bedside table. A chime at his door, stopped him midway.

Restraining the urge to pant, Sheppard timidly asked, "Yeah?"

"It's Rodney."

_Crap!_

The last thing Sheppard wanted was for his nightmare to become a reality, well it wouldn't quite be the same but still, he wasn't going to take chances. Spotting his pants on the chair, Sheppard cursed under his breath.

"Yeah so?"

"Sheppard? I was wondering if you have a moment."

Easing his hand off, Sheppard huffed out once, "I'm busy."

"Well, it's important. It's not like you are doing anything other than probably reading in there, right?"

Sheppard took a moment to ponder what Rodney had just said then retorted, "Rodney, why didn't you just tell me on the com? Just go away!"

"Sheesh, if I knew you were going to give me that much attitude I wouldn't of have bothered you but your com doesn't seem to be working. You know just nevermind, I'll just find someone else to help activate the mini puddle jumper toy I found."

Sheppard sat up, "What? You found a mini version of a puddle jumper?" said Sheppard, excitement in his voice.

"Yes," drawled Rodney, smiling, "It's quite fascinating actually, I have several theories like maybe it was the ancient's version of a instructing 'newbies' how to fly a jumper. Either that or it's a toy for their children. In either case, I just thought you might want to be the one to activate it for me, so I or rather we can test it out."

Sheppard smiled but grimaced when he felt the tingling sensation ripple down his chest and settle down below. The heat just kept rising.

The Dilemma, keep up his…uh…stress relieving tension 'exercise', go back to reading or have the time of his life trying to mentally fly a model version of the puddle jumper.

It was insane, how could he choose? Sheppard ground his teeth and decided that the idea of flying a mini jumper was far too tempting to pass up.

"Okay, I'm coming."

"I knew you couldn't resist this."

"Yeah I know, be right there," said Sheppard as he jumped out of bed and yanked his pants back on. Without a second thought he jerked his zipper back up.

A loud yelp and a string of curses accompanied Sheppard's rustling sounds.

Rodney's eyebrows furrowed.

"Sheppard, um…should I even ask?"

"No, Rodney, you shouldn't. Just…give…me…a…few!" wheezed Sheppard, while rubbing the area.

Today was just one little thing after another. As he checked once again to find only hair being the problem, Sheppard shoved his shoes back on.

Taking a few deep breaths, he came out of his room, stopping near Rodney, as he realized his shoes were making the annoying squeaking sounds.

Rodney shook his head then took a slight step back as he saw the look on Sheppard's face. He was about to ask Sheppard what was wrong, when Sheppard put his hand up and silenced Rodney with a glare that could kill.

"Let's just go."

* * *

Radek looked unusually happy, but his smile faded when he found himself suddenly seated in front of Dr. Weir in her office.

"Dr. Zelenka," said Dr. Weir, her stern expression, making known her seriousness, "I don't know what I walked in on but I want you to know that if you are going to do _things_ like that, that they should be done behind closed doors. Away from prying eyes."

The panicked look in his eyes made her almost laugh.

"Dr. Weir, I was not…I didn't…" stuttered Radek, flipping his hands in front of his chest, apologetically.

"No, if, ands or buts. No excuses, this is not a place for activities of that nature and further more, I don't want to have to explain to my chief science officer why one of his staff is not…" Dr. Weir cut off.

"You are just lucky that I was the one, not somebody else, who walked in on you," stated Dr. Weir, her eyes narrowing.

Radek blushed and motioned, "Thank you. I…it won't happen again."

"It'd had better not."

"Yes ma'am," said Radek as he moved towards the door of her office.

"And Radek, keep me posted on the device," said Dr. Weir, making him blush even more, before he hefted out of her office.


	7. Escapade?

**A/N**: Rodney gets caught by Sheppard and scheming takes place.

* * *

… **.LV. **…

**Part 7:**

**Escapade?**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration**: I Can Be Your Lover by DJ Company

* * *

After two hours of flying a mini puddle jumper around the lab and the Colonel having it fly at him, Rodney desired only to be left alone to flip through the diary once more. He tired the nice approach, by trying to convince Sheppard that there was plenty of time to have fun with Jr. P.J., that Sheppard had so happily named, when they got some sleep.

When that didn't work, he threatened Sheppard with configuring the mini jumper to fire at him. Of course it couldn't do that but it then Sheppard didn't know reluctance, Sheppard had agreed but as soon as he was out of the lab, Rodney caught a glimpse of him jogging to the nearest transporter, an eager look on his face.

Shaking his head, Rodney knew Sheppard was reading some type of novel. Rodney still thought the novel was romancy despite Sheppard's protests. He knew if he could just get a chance with that novel he could use it as leverage against Sheppard's teasing and should the rare opportunity present itself he could use it as a blackmail to get Sheppard to help him out in the lab or whatever.

The minutes ticked by and the silence of the lab prompted Rodney to shift out of his meandering thoughts. Setting the mini jumper back in its case, Rodney darted glances around the lab one final time before returning to his stool.

Reaching into the paper bag underneath the desk, holding his precious cargo, he withdrew the diary to hold under his left arm. Once he had scooted aside the various gadgets littering the top of the table, he swiveled the stool then propped up his feet on the edge of lab table. Scooping the diary up, he flipped it open.

His eyes connected with a very colorful entry that by far was the most unique yet. Scanning the entry, Rodney read the title. **My Falter Sordid?** Curious Rodney read on. It was an entry on _sagefan's_ day that much he could deem was true, but what had him really reeling were the words of a poem and the accompanying artwork.

_Coping With Affections_

_In honesty I deny_

_This pulsing beat will not refute_

_My shiver to pine at doors stop_

_As knock reverberates_

_Cruelty cast far and wide_

_Utter Never and you cannot I_

_You do not see my lighted smile_

_Nor the desire in my eye_

_Simply put it cannot be_

_Shelter not these wounds of mine_

_If wraith should steal time's woe_

_Then only grace can seal_

_These thoughts of mine_

_Surrender not I to you_

_Painted sky winds divine_

_Sopped pools of emote_

_Until I say, Cursed be the name Dr. McKay_

_Unto this I supply this, I want you_

_Supple haunting eyes of blue._

Underneath the poem were a series of vivid sketches. They contained a woman, presumably _sagefan_, in an elegant olive green dress; her hair caught up behind her head, a feathery mask obscuring her face. She approached an extremely well drawn picture of himself, looking valiant. Valiant!

Rodney grinned and straightened, trying to model himself, as in this drawing. His grin increasing, he continued. The next sketch had the woman sashaying forward, to grasp a tight hold of his neck and pull him into a passionate, rough kiss, silencing his sketching self who had begun to say, "please mistress…"

Mistress… Rodney repeated the word in his head again. He felt tightening in his lower regions as he ran his right hand through his hair, swallowing.

Who was this woman? And why hadn't she ever talked to him? Why did she think so highly of him to write poems and sketches of him? What should he do?

Rodney knew he wasn't good with women, and this only made it clearer to himself that he needed help. But shame at keeping her diary to read and shame at trying to stalk every woman in the science department who he thought resembled sagefan, made him keep his mouth shut.

"So it is a diary," said Sheppard, as if it was some profound discovery.

Reaching around Rodney, Sheppard yanked it out of his hands, flipping several of its' pages.

Scrambling Rodney sputtered, "Hey, what are you doing!" while making a weak swipe at the book.

"Oh come on Rodney."

"No, I said give it back."

"You did, did you? I don't seem to remember hearing the words coming out of your mouth."

Rodney pouted, dropped his eyes and he made another swipe at the book, almost falling out of his chair.

"That's not the point! Give it back!"

Sheppard grinned and backed away, out of reach, while sticking his tongue out at Rodney.

"Jeez, Rodney, have a little fun once in a while."

"I have fun! Just not this type," grumbled Rodney hoarsely, crossing his arms and glaring at Sheppard. "Seeing you stick your tongue is in no way amusing or entertaining."

Ignoring him, Sheppard flipped a few pages, his eyes catching random sketches of him, Carson and Rodney.

"So this is why you were so eager to throw me out of the lab."

"Yes…what…no…I…just give it back, it's not yours!" squealed Rodney, almost tugging the book from Sheppard's grasp.

"It's not yours either Rodney. I don't know if you noticed but it happens to belong to…hm…a _sagefan_…?"

"I…I know…"

"Then why haven't you given it back? Oh wait you don't know who it is. And…what is this?" said Sheppard, his hand stilling at the first page folded down, "Rodney, why is this page folded down?"

"It wasn't me!"

"Well, you answered that question for me."

"Oh just WOULD YOU JUST GIVE IT BACK SHEPPARD!"

Rodney swiped at the book again, stumbling. There was more than one way Sheppard could annoy Rodney, and it seemed he planned to use all the stops tonight, noted Rodney, as he glared at the man. Rodney pouted slightly as he crossed his arms.

"Calm down." said Sheppard, then adding as an afterthought, "You should return it you know."

"Yes I KNOW!" said Rodney glowering at Sheppard.

"Okay if you know then why haven't you…?"

Sheppard's voice halted as his eyes caught sight of an entry and several pictures. It was the page on _Men in Atlantis_. He read the portion written on himself and then took note of the sketchings.

"Really she thinks I'm sexy and…. She wants to rip my…"Sheppard's eyebrows went up, "And wants to squeeze my…uh…torture her by undressing…Rodney who is this _sagefan_?"

Rodney tossed his hands up in the air and sat back down on the stool facing Sheppard. "I…don't know, okay! I…I…just found it when I went to…the…"

"When you went to the book pile to look for a romantic novel?" said Sheppard, crossing his arms the book still open in his left hand.

"No…I was looking for my book…the one I donated…by accident…and…I…so anyways…wait why am I even telling you any of this, it's none of your business!"

Sheppard looked at Rodney, his head lowered, eyes up, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Oh shut up! Okay I haven't had the chance to find out who this _sagefan_ is okay and besides she should have been more careful."

"Oh sure, haven't had the time, had we? Should have been more careful?" said Sheppard, mockingly.

"Okay, so maybe I'm curious okay. But it's not like I've stalking the science women or anything."

"Sure you haven't."

"I…of course I haven't!" stated Rodney, flatly giving his most indignant expression.

"U-huh. So Rodney do you think she would say it was hers, if you ask her."

"Well no…"

"Look, if you leave it to me. I can find out who it is no problem."

"…Yeah sure."

"All right it's settled than"

"I haven't said yes. NO! N. O.! No! I don't need your help to solve this mystery or whatever you want to call it okay so just…"

"Well you said it yourself, you don't have a clue where to start and you want to know who it is right?"

"Yes, but I didn't have in mind you doing it for me!"

Sheppard tried hard not to smirk but he failed miserably. Rodney could be so darn stubborn when he felt like it, and he reveled in seeing Sheppard try to convince him otherwise.

"Just leave it to me."

"Oh and Mr. Captain Kirk, what do you plan to do? Charm your way around to find out who _sagefan_ is."

Sheppard glared at Rodney.

"No Rodney, I plan to throw the diary at them and flaunt myself around. Of course not Rodney and don't be jealous just because _sagefan_ wants to undress me and thinks I'm sexy."

"I am not jealous. She didn't mean it. And I'll have you know for a fact, she likes me more than you. Says my eyes are hauntingly blue."

Rodney puffed his chest out and gave a dashing smirk, making Sheppard cringe. Rodney looked, to him, like he had lost his marbles.

"As painful as that sounds…Hauntingly blue?"

"Yes…ye yes! What don't believe me," grouched Rodney, as Sheppard threw his hands up in a defensive posture, "Look just read this entry." Rodney jumped up and flipped the pages of the diary in Sheppard's hands. "See," said Rodney pointing at the poem and the sketches.

"Come hither near? Um, maybe on second thought, I'll just leave this little escapade to you."

"No…wait…what escapade? It is not an escapade and you said you would help."

"Oh so now you want my help when I final decide not to."

"What. Oh, your just…glowering cause it's not all about you anymore. You don't like that _sagefan_ could like me more."

Sheppard crossed his arms again, as Rodney took the diary back, "Fine, I'll help, but you owe me one."

"Yes…ah…thank you. I owe you one."

"On second thought, instead of 'owing me one' Rodney, how about you lay off the romance novel crap, seeing as my novel is not a romance novel at all, and stop trying to steal it from me. Okay?"

Rodney thought about it then replied absently, "I was not trying to steal it. Fine, I say…what novel?"

The two men nodded in agreement. Rodney shucked his lips and tried to decide. Should he return the diary or continue on this hair brain scheme Sheppard was concocting at the very moment. Letting his curiosity get the best of him, Rodney kept his mouth shut.

After all, he had had too many dates that went sour or women whom he wanted, like Carter, who would never date him. He knew he needed assistance, still his ego was telling him, a better man would refuse and return the diary but then again, he was a scientist for a reason he liked to investigate the world around him. So how was this any different?

Too, when was the last time a woman had a crush on him and was hot? Not that Katie wasn't good looking or pleasing to the eye but this girl he was pretty sure was hot. Then belatedly Rodney realized as he had drifted off into his thoughts, Sheppard was still in the room, watching him closely.

Trying to make up for it he tried to come up with something to say. "So what's this big plan of yours?" asked Rodney as he tucked the diary under his arms.

* * *

**A/N**: Look for some more trouble from Radek in the next one. I may write what Sgt. Bates up to, with his book reading.


	8. Developments so Far

… **.LV. **…

**Part 8:**

**Developments So Far**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

Sheppard sat up from the chair he vacated in the mess hall as he tried to eye each woman walking in or out. Each time he felt Ronon's gaze on him, a touch of amusement in those eyes of brown, he had to curb the embarrassment from showing on his face.

He tried to discreetly, sneak looks at several women who looked similar to the drawings in Rodney's mystery girls diary, he got several blushes and one even waved at him.

This was getting him nowhere. After exhausting himself by trying to think up excuses to give Ronon should he ask what Sheppard was doing, Ronon stood up and clomped off, that ridiculous Romance novel of his tucked in his left hand.

Sheppard shrugged once, trying hard to remember any mention of a sagefan. Try as he might, he didn't hang out with any of the scientists for coffee breaks or the usual, well except McKay, but that was different. McKay was a close friend, who on more times than he could count had saved his life and besides it was absolutely amusing to see Rodney's face turn red and hear his shouts at fellow scientists, who he deemed unworthy to be in the same room with him.

Sheppard doubted that this sagefan would be found easily, after all, she had done pretty well so far, but leaving her diary out…? That was just reckless or was it? Thought Sheppard, as he tried to flee the approaching brunette, who saw him looking and hoped to chat. Fortunately, Sheppard managed to make it to the door of the mess hall, glancing back once to see her pick her teeth and tenderly pat the seat he had just vacated.

Shivering, Sheppard raced back to his quarters. Well if he couldn't make any progress yet that was okay. It gave him more time to read his book. He plopped down on his bed, still unmade from his hasty dash to the debriefing he had almost missed. He couldn't believe it, this book so far was keeping his interest. At first it had been distastefully complicated to read with it's complex societies and concepts had nearly drawn him to trash the book back in the book pile and read his other book, but as he continued he realized he couldn't stop.

Within the week he had returned the Cowboy book and gotten almost to the end of Kushiel's Dart. Reluctantly he realized if he didn't pace himself that he would have nothing to read soon. That thought alone had made him slow down considerably.

Flipping open to the next chapter, his dry tongue flicking over his lips, he grinned. There was always time for that sagefan mystery woman, but for now he was making time for _his_ book.

* * *

Rodney sauntered down back to his lab, his concentration waning. All he wanted was to sneak just one look at the woman that he knew soon would rival that of his crush on Colonel Carter.

Shaking himself mentally, Rodney cringed slightly. No one could replace Sam, not even sagefan but jeez, this sagefan could write poetically pieced porn!

Rodney grinned as he returned to the same page he had been reading over and over, every chance he had gotten during his day.

…_Soon he pried apart her lips with his slick tongue. Their tips met, like two dancers, they swooped and swirled against each other, passion beckoning onward. Sliding his hand downward, as he tongued his lover, he tenderly caressed her belly. His expert fingers, trailing the length of her, warm, silky frame. As she gasped loudly, he silenced her with one finger against her mouth. _

_Letting his lips touch the base of her neck, he sucked at it, leaving a purple mark for later reference. It was his way of claiming her, letting all who dare take this lovely, lady with whom he could never let go, know she was his and he hers. Dancing his lips up and down her neck, another shudder from the flesh beneath, sent his hard…_

Shuddering again, as the wave tingled down his spine to rest nestled in his lower region, Rodney flipped close the diary. He had to get back to fixing the newest problem, Atlantis's laundry system.

The system had backed up, yet again, and still there was no reason why it should have backed up at all. If there was one thing Rodney needed to do, it was to get his mind off the dirty thoughts creeping into his brain, after that entry. Of course the best part was the fact that the woman and the man being described was sagefan and himself.

Rodney smiled; as he envisioned his lovely lady…ugh…did he just think lovely lady? He shuddered; he was spending far too much time around Carson. Of course, were it not for the fact that he had constant cold infections or the like, he would never step foot in that infirmary unless he was dying or a friend was.

Shaking off visions of Beckett giving safegan a gynecological examine, Rodney returned to the main area where the laundry system station sat.

* * *

Radek scooted his shirt down, when Rodney had just popped into the laundry area, surprised. He growled under his breath in Czech, while he silently hoped his partner was dressed fully, otherwise there was going to be some type of altercation with Rodney.

Well, maybe not but just the thought of giving Rodney a right-left jab to the chin with his fist, was very appealing at the moment. He was about to try section 4 position 5 from the handbook Rodney had so foolishly concealed inside of a Astrophysics book and then had so carelessly left in the book pile.

His girlfriend…well he supposed that should be the term for her, a Dr. Melissa Reeds, was by far one of the most enthusiastic woman he had ever met. Of course when he meant enthusiastic, he was referring to the use of a manual for their…sessions…

Rodney gritted his teeth as he tried to find the words to express what his face was clearly displaying. Radek, smugly ignored it, and asked as casually as he could, "So I take it you have been busy with that book of yours?"

Rodney's eyes grew suspicious, what did Radek mean? Book?

Then realization that Sheppard might have already betrayed their agreement made Rodney freeze. "What book?" he asked innocently.

Radek arched his eyebrows curtly. Almost Sheppard like, thought Rodney. Then He remembered what Radek had been referring to. "Well actually no, I still can't seem to find where my book went off wandering to. Or for that matter who it went wandering to."

Radek shrugged, "I have no idea what you are talking about Rodney, now if you don't mind I have important work to attend to."

"Important work involving you in the laundry mat of Atlantis with…Dr. Reeds?"

Dr. Reeds casually waltzed out from behind the second machine. She snapped her fingers behind her back; she had almost made it to the door.

* * *

**A/N: **More to follow. Hope you liked. R&R!


	9. Rodney's Bad Day

… **.LV. **…

**Part 9:**

**Rodney's Bad Day**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration**: Undress Me Now by Morcheeba

* * *

Rodney grinned again, so that was who Melissa was seeing. He had wondered. It wasn't like he was jealous or anything it was just fascinating. So if he had it straight, somehow Radek and her were dating and by the looks of it doing more than that. Oh yes and he mustn't forget Radek had his book, that sly dog! Thought Rodney, as he made his final corrections to the malfunction in the machine.

As he turned to go his foot caught on the edge of a pile of laundry. Stumbling, Rodney glared at the offending mess only to see something frilly catch his eye. Not that he was going to help out with someone else's laundry; he couldn't help but be a tad curious.

As he edged closer to the pile he noted it was mostly towels but somewhere between a filthy shirt and someone's stinky socks sat a silky, slinky material. It's pinkish-purple hue glaring up from the pile with the frilly lace along its hem.

Rodney stared in disbelief as he casually edged the dirty shirt aside to take a closer look. It was someone's lingerer? Rodney gulped, he really shouldn't…he really shouldn't…Rodney sighed and took out his stylus pen to lift the garment up.

Upon closer inspection, the lingerer wasn't just any type it was by Victoria's Secret. His eyebrows rose. This was interesting. As he dared to touch the material with his left index finger's tip, he caught sight of a name in permanent pen written on the tag.

Glancing around, he reached for it, he froze as the two letters, barely legible beneath the company name caught his eye. S.g. It couldn't be. Rodney fumbled with the handy magnifier he always carried in his pocket. Removing it and staring at the tag, there it was clearly for him to see. S.G. in blue.

Well s.g. could stand for a lot of things couldn't it? Like Stargate or Suzy Gredole, a rather nasty cook who gave him dirty looks as she served him his food, or it could stand for sagefan? But there was a 'g' in it. Rodney hesitated. She wouldn't have a 'g' in it.

Rodney held the garment with his hand as he inspected the backside of the tag for any more information. If this was sagefan's, he was impressed.

As he imagined her wearing it, he glanced down; he would have a hard time getting back to work now. Rodney gave it up, he needed a little fantasy now and again so why not. As he envisioned him and his version of what sagefan looked like, kissing on his bed, he smiled. Until he heard footsteps making him panic, drop the lingerie and flee behind one of the machines. He didn't know what had possessed him to be so silly but when the person entered he knew why.

The woman was indeed Suzy Gredole. It wasn't so much that she was unpleasant on the eyes it was her attitude that bothered Rodney. The fact that she owned a Victoria Secret's lingerie made him shiver. Poor man, Thought Rodney. Well at least my problem is gone, now. She must be a devil to be with.

It was amazing how the woman's very presence seemed to turn him off so easily. At least he wouldn't have to worry about unsightly stares at him.

As she left, Rodney froze, seeing two women enter. The one was a blond, with her hair braided down her back to end at her tail bone with pretty smoke black eyes, while the other was obscured by the piping, from the distance he could barely make out her short brunette hair.

"Come on Sidge, you know you want to."

"Stop calling me that. I hate it."

"Oh shuush you know you like it."

"No I don't."

"Okay so anyways…he'll be back any moment. Come on. Besides you can't keep this up forever. He needs to know. You'll be glad you did it. Meliss keeps telling me, that I should boost your confidence in telling him because she can't stand your whining, so here I am. Now come on, do it," said the blonde smugly grinning.

Rodney thought she looked a lot like a girl he dated in high school, only she was uglier. This woman, he couldn't help but stare, after all, she was blonde. The other one however he thought curiously reminded him of someone, who he couldn't place.

"No I can't do it, Sandra. Like I told Dr. Reeds McStupid…" Rodney gasped at the mention of McStupid. "I'm not ready yet okay. Besides he may not have it so I'd rather not, what if I make a fool of myself?"

"Look girl, I don't know what it is that has got you so hung up on this astrophysicist but since you're so hooked, I don't know why you can't just ask him out. Personally though I would rather have that Lt. Colonel. He's sexier and knows how to handle a gun while this one can't even seem to shoot straight."

Rodney frowned at the blond named Sandra; he too could handle a gun. He just preferred not to, unless he had to. Rodney longed to catch a glimpse of the woman called Sidge. If only he could shift his body a little more to the side…

That was when Rodney felt the snag on his back, and then realized he had lodged himself between the machine, the wall and the piping next to it. As he struggled in vain to release himself from its grasp, his movement caught the women's attention.

"Oh please San dra…Did you hear something?"

"Yeah actually I did its coming from over there. Okay who is it that's spying on us. Just spare us embarrassing you and come out."

Rodney shook his head; this was not how he planned it. Realizing he didn't want to be stuck there forever, he finally answered her, "It's a…Dr. McKay…look I'm a little stuck back here, so if you could just help me out or find someone who can get me out that'd be great thanks."

That's when the other woman fled, he caught a glimpse of her backside, she had a nice butt that much he could tell.

"Sidge? Hold on, Dr. McKay, I'll be right back. Sidge?" squealed Sandra, racing after her friend.

Rodney hung his head; this was not what he had bargained for. Hopefully now though, at least he had a name to go by instead of sagefan maybe. He could be wrong but it had to be sagefan, why else would she have fled in such a hurry. As he leaned his head on his elbow, resting it against a ledge on the back of the machine, he felt a rubbing against the snag, and next he knew he had popped out to land on the floor next to the machine. His jacket soiled with oils and other things he hoped would come out.

Well at least one thing that been taken care of, he was no longer behind the machine. Stretching his back he peeked around the door, seeing if he could figure out which way Sandra had ran off to.

Rodney sighed, so close! He thumped his fist against the door frame. Than feeling pain, he sucked his fist and more out of anger than anything else, he kicked the frame for good measure, which made him reach down to rub his injured foot feeling a spreading warmth trickle on the inside of his shoe, as he sucked on his stinging fist. As he glared at the frame again that was when he saw the jutting piece of metal and the blood on it. This was not a good day.

* * *

Carson had just finished another round of medical check ups on several people with severe colds. As he got his first break of the day, he knew it wouldn't be long. The worst so far had been a young Marine, whose chest had filed with liquid.

He strode over to his desk, and gazed longingly at his book, he wasn't going to have time to finish chapter 4 no matter what break time he had. As he grasped the steaming coffee, one of the nurses, an Alicia, had made for him, another patient strolled in.

Carson stared, it was Rodney, and he looked worse for wear. Rodney's fist was a bright red, and he was hopping precariously, while his face was in a permanent scowl.

"What do we have here? Come on Rodney, sit down, and let me take a look."

Rodney said not a single word, which was unusual but Carson didn't ask, as he helped Rodney to sit on the infirmary bed.

Examining Rodney's fist, he called for a nurse to bring ice, and then he moved to Rodney's foot, which seemed swollen considerably.

"Okay Rodney, I need to remove your shoe so I want you to just relax, because it's swollen and this might hurt a bit."

Untying the shoe's laces, he carefully slipped the heel off and slid the shoe forward, while Rodney made yelping sounds.

"Okay got it. Rodney, what have you done?"

From what Carson could tell, the foot had a bleeding puncture wound about the size of a ten-penny nail in it less than an inch deep on the side. As he examined the shoe, he saw the tear and neat hole on the side of it.

Rodney's thick socks had done a good job in keeping the wound from bleeding out onto the shoe but had soaked up a lot of the blood. Rodney's eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, as he muttered on and on about machines and complicated math problems.

Carson had one of the nurse's help remove the sock, during which Rodney's insults made Carson's tension ease. So the man was all right, except for the wound on his foot.

When all was said and done Rodney was helped into an infirmary bed with a rather large wrap around his foot and an icepack taped to his fist, to which the swelling of its own had decreased.

Carson shook his head as he gave Rodney something to help with the pain. Reluctantly he notified Elizabeth of Rodney's accident. She had postponed off-world missions for at least two weeks at which if Carson was still not satisfied with Rodney's recovering foot, she would tack on however more days he would need. As for Rodney's work in the lab he was not allowed to do anything on his feet, he could work only if he sat down but that wouldn't be until the second week, once Carson was sure there would be no infections.

Among the many things Carson also had to do was to find the repair crew and let them know about the jutting metal in the laundry section. How the Ancients had neglected something as simple as that, he would never know but at least he could prevent further incidents.

Shrugging his shoulders back again, he returned to his coffee, now cold and shook his head. Rodney could be a pain sometimes but how he had been so careless was beyond Carson.

* * *

**A/N:** So sagefan also goes by Sidge or is her name Sidge? Soon all will be revealed.


	10. Interrupted Private Time

**A/N: **Okay pay close attention here. Misdirection...my dears is the name of the game.

* * *

… **.LV. **…

**Part 10:**

**Interrupted Private Time**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration**: Undress Me Now by Morcheeba

* * *

Trudging up to Elizabeth's office, Sheppard decided to see what the hold up was on that one report Rodney had begged him to get for him.

He still couldn't understand why Rodney had a puncture wound in his foot and a wrapped up hand –which he understood, had a hairline fracture in it. It was ridiculous. Rodney this injured. He just didn't get it. From his understanding Rodney had been upset and took his anger out on a doorframe. Sheppard hadn't been there but he was pretty sure, that if he had, it would have been most amusing.

Sheppard silently chastised himself. How could he be as insensitive as Rodney called it, to Rodney's plight? The worst of it all was when, Rodney lying in bed, had been about to tell him something important and he had commented about the poor door frame needing medical attention. It had been funny at the time but Rodney had been about that close to jumping out of bed and strangling him.

Truthfully he didn't understand why Rodney was so upset; of course he hadn't seen Rodney like this in a long time. And for what? Two women, one supposedly being sagefan. Sheppard snorted, when he had finally found out why Rodney was so desperate to tell him that sagefan went by the name Sidge as well, he tried so hard not to laugh again. Laughing at a time like that would not be a good idea.

He honestly felt bad for Rodney and his…_injuries_ but seriously the man needed to vent all that pent up anger in better ways than snarking at people. Of course when he meant better he didn't mean kicking the crap out of a door frame and getting a puncture wound and an injured fist.

As he pried open the door to Elizabeth's office, Sheppard froze hearing music playing.

_Using your mind,_

_Imagine the skin,_

_Joint at the hip,_

_Joined from within,_

_By using your eyes,_

_Your freezing my frame_

_Watching our clothes burst into flames_

_Undress me now, you know how_

_Using your eyes, now_

_Undress me now, you know how_

_Using your mind, using your mind._

He entered, his eyebrows receding into his hairline, as he saw Elizabeth dancing slowly, a cup of steaming coffee in her hands. Running his hands through his hair, if there was one thing he found very surprising, aside from everything else, it was the song's lyrics, they were so seductively wrong!

As she swayed her hips a bit, to the rhythm of the music, she smiled and he thought he heard a name. Disturbed, Sheppard wasn't sure if he should leave, stay and watch or say something. Finally being unable to decide, the decision was made for him as Ronon burst behind him, calling her name. The look of surprise and embarrassment in her eyes made him smirk.

"Sheppard? Ronon?"

Elizabeth quickly sat her coffee down on her desk and turned off the music on her laptop.

Just as the lyrics started up with _Undress Me Now, you know how…_To which Ronon mouth slightly dropped open.

Looking up she supplied, "So what can I do for you two?"

Sheppard thought for a second. What can she do for them? That question was definitely wrong in this type of situation considering the song lyrics she had been dancing to and word syncing to.

She glared at Sheppard as she waited for one of them to say something.

Ronon spoke first, "I think you should come and see this."

That was his only answer. As he too tried hard not to smile at what he had just seen Elizabeth doing. As she came over, he shrugged and pointed to the spectacle developing in the gateroom below. She gave Sheppard one final glare as they all filed out of her office.

"So there was a reason you decided to pop by, I'm assuming you didn't just come by to watch me dance?"

Sheppard grinned, "Oh yeah…Rodney wants some mission report he put in on that planet where we found the downed Wraith ship. I forget the name but he needs it for some reason."

"I thought he wasn't suppose to be doing any kind of work. Beckett's orders."

He shrugged again, "He seems bored and besides the foot thing isn't effecting his mind, as is evident by the rattling his mouth has been doing the past two days. Though I would say otherwise, just don't let him know that. And also…interesting lyrics you were dancing to."

For extra measure Sheppard gave her a pistol hand and pulled it, while winking.

She blushed again but wasn't fazed.

"Okay he can have the report but just tell him, I'm not going to do anything, nor should you, that would go against Beckett's orders. And also," emphasizing the also, "next time knock before entering," said Elizabeth as she strode past him to stand beside Ronon, her hand clasped over her mouth as she yawned.

Sheppard shook his head, and shrugged. He wasn't one for undressing people with his eyes, though he was told he did it a lot. He guessed he was doing something of that at the moment, when a disgruntled Cadwell, bumped his shoulder, making him glare at the man, who so innocently smiled at him.

At first Sheppard had found Cadwell as competition both on the field of military expertise and off it. Than Cadwell had earned his respect by the various assistance him and the Daedulus crew provided. Still, Sheppard was wary of him, and couldn't help but harbor some ill-thoughts towards the man…well maybe more than ill-thoughts at the moment anyways.

Then there was the name Elizabeth had uttered during her dancing. Something about the way she had said it had him curious. He could have sworn it had sounded like ro…which could be Ronon or Rodney…or somebody else entirely. It couldn't be that she liked Rodney or maybe it was something more? Wait, Thought Sheppard, could she be sagefan? But if it was Ronon then? Sheppard shook his head, nope he didn't think Elizabeth would go by the name Sidge. Still the evidence was a little convincing and he found himself slightly hating the idea.

It wasn't like him and Elizabeth were dating. It would one of those no-no's on Atlantis. Seeing as she was the leader and he was her second-in-command, so to speak. That would look definitely bad on future issues Atlantis had. Also the controversy would put both their jobs in jeopardy. While he did admit, there were times he almost could break that no-no rule, most of the time, he reminded himself that there were other women out there besides Dr. Elizabeth Weir. Still, at least there was the flirting and the occasional touch, those he could live with.

As he both amused himself and cringed at the thought of Rodney and Elizabeth together, he too, found his eyes popping out at the scene before him.

Teyla had her hand between Kavanagh and a woman with blond hair, whose smokey black eyes were giving Kavanagh deadly piercing daggers.

How Teyla had come to help so fast and how Kavanagh had been allowed on Major Lorne's alternate off-world team, Sheppard didn't know but in any case, he was a little surprised when Kavanagh lunged at the woman.

"How dare you! I don't fucking care what you say…" screamed Kavanagh, as he barely swiped his hand at the woman, with whom Teyla protected.

Teyla carefully blocked his attack, and made a complicated twist and flip to him, causing him to flop down to the floor on his belly; her knee pressed into his back, his hand pulled up behind him.

"Please Dr. Kavanagh, stop this. She did not mean to do that. I am sure. I know Dr. Simone, she wouldn't do that."

There was Teyla, always able to handle any situation requiring both her negotiating, diplomatic skills and if that didn't work than her fluid skills with physical force as well. Sheppard smiled, he knew if Rodney were able to see this that he would be jumping up and down with glee. He would have ran and got a camera to take a picture except once Kavanagh had been subdued, Dr. Simone had run off, leaving Teyla to slowly remove her pressure from his back, and release his hand.

"Sandra," yelled one of her teammates who had been standing to the side.

Sheppard remembered what Rodney had told him, and was about to race after the woman but stopped when Teyla told him to let her go. Now he was getting somewhere, so this Dr. Sandra Simone was on Sergeant Lee's team, currently commanded by Major Lorne.

The Major's own team was busy taking scans of plant slides and documenting ruins with several military escorts so he was left with the choice of staying or being allowed to take over for Sergeant Lee who was currently recovering from a severe cold and allergy combination.

Sheppard tuned back to see someone finally move to check on Kavanagh, by tapping his shoulder. When he didn't move, everyone hesitated. It wasn't like Kavanagh had a strong stomach for any kind of altercation. Back during the intruder situation on Atlantis, when he had been suspected of being the Trust operative, and Ronon had finally been allowed to interrogate him, he had fainted before the interrogation had even begun.

As soon as it was evident he wasn't getting up anytime soon, Elizabeth phoned Dr. Beckett to tell him of the news. If Kavanagh really was injured it would do no good to ignore it, and if he was faking it, he was going to have some serious coming-and-uppings from both her and Dr. Beckett.

* * *

--


	11. Conclusions of Disgruntled Men

… **.LV. **…

**Part 11:**

**Conclusions of Disgruntled Men**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration**: Edge of the Ocean (Duotone Mix) [edit] by Ivy

* * *

Rodney shifted his frame against the harsh mattress, concentrating on ignoring the snide remarks coming from the bed diagonal from him. The man, Kavanagh, was a nuisance to society. He had tried to plead with Carson, that the man was fine and to release him but Carson preferred to pretend that the fainting had something to do with whatever he had brought back with him on the planet than agree that he was a wuss when it came to Teyla or Ronon. The man truthfully as Carson put it, did need some extra time to heal but mostly it wasn't anything that dire that required him to be in the infirmary.

Carson he figured was just honestly intimidated by Kavanagh.. And as it was, once he had finished the screening Carson had noted Kavanagh had the same virus everyone else was contracting, the severe cold. So on that note, he had been forced to keep him in the infirmary, of course he couldn't blame Rodney when he had made a raging protest about him and Kavanagh being in the same room.

So graciously he had put Kavanagh in a private area, who had also protested. Thankfully Carson had been able to come up with a reasonable excuse as to why he had to be put in an area away from the general infirmary area. Mostly it had been because of Rodney and everyone else, who frankly couldn't bare looking at him, but it had also been because he didn't want this virus spreading to anyone else and who knew what it could do if Ronon and Teyla should they catch the darn thing.

Which also came to notice, that any Athosians not sick were to be checked by him and told to stay away from the infirmary until further notice. Ronon and Teyla were also banned from the infirmary until further notice. He didn't want to take any chances. If they got sick or injured he would come to them, but he wasn't about to let them go and get the cold unless someone other than his infirmary or Kavanagh gave it to them.

Rodney suddenly began screaming insults across his bed at Kavanagh, who began yelling back, his face taunt with exhaustion, as the nurse helped him into a wheelchair. This was definitely one of the reasons why he didn't want Kavanagh in the general area. He knew Rodney should have been put in the secluded area but he didn't see the need for it, other than today's incident, Rodney had been surprisingly good for the most part.

"Please, gentlemen, I have other patients in here who can't sleep if the two of you are throwing insults at one another."

"Shut up Beckett!"

"Shut up Voodoo-man!"

Both men screamed their replies at Carson, before continuing to debate about Teyla, the Wraith and something related to parcheezy.

Carson finally gave up, his patience with Kavanagh was already wearing thin, and it had been only a day. With every ounce of restraint he bellowed out, "Shut UP both of you."

Than more out of anger than anything else, he accented his request with a "Iasg mò do bhriogais. Don't give me your havers. Both of you quiet."

As Rodney harrumphed about not understanding Gaelic and Czech, he settled down into his mattress, his arms crossed, a scowl on his face.

Carson shook his head, definitely not going to get any time to read my book today.

* * *

Sheppard debated, should he ask Elizabeth about that little scene he had witnessed in her office or should he try and continue the search assuming she wasn't sagefan. He scratched his head, than the thought of reading that next chapter in his book began to nag at him. What to do?

Finally he resided to the idea that maybe it was possible Elizabeth did like Rodney but didn't want anyone to know and she also wasn't sagefan. How strange that he should find this out now…after thinking she liked him, Sheppard not Rodney. Shaking his head, no in any case, she was not Rodney's mystery 'sagefan' woman, who he now knew went by Sidge and was friends with Dr. Sandra Simone.

Giving up, he went back to his room and gathered up his book. He would read a chapter, than go try looking for this Sidge, silently hoping he had his conclusions wrong about Elizabeth.

**Chapter Fifty One**

_"…I don't know what I expected. I hadn't thought about it. My hair fell loose about us, curtaining our faces. His lips parted under mine, and our tongues touched, only the tips, soft and tentative…I would have thought he would be uncertain-a Cassiline, and celibate-but he came to it with wonder, taking all that I offered with a kind of reverent awe. His hands slid over my ski and I wept at his touch, that had such love in it, tasting salt of my own tears as I kissed him. I have never, ever chosen before. When he came into me, I shuddered, and he held off until I drew him back down, fiercely, burying my face against his shoulder and losing myself in him…He cried out at the end, a sound of wonder and amazement."_

Sheppard smiled as he imagined himself as the Cassiline, his lips touching Phedre's. He shuddered again, he wondered if he could ever find a woman, as beautiful and mysterious as Phedre. He envied the Cassiline in the book, he had never had the luxury of waiting, his puberty had overpowered himself and he'd lost his virginity maybe far younger than he would have wanted. Of course, if any were to ask he would rattle about it proudly but deep down he would cringe, hearing himself speak.

After what had seemed like an hours worth of reading he laid his head back against his wall, he had to find out who sagefan was. He now had a bigger urgency than Rodney to find out who she was, okay if he had look at it, he was jealous, in more ways than one. If it was Elizabeth, than he would be okay but still jealous.

What could he say, you know. And if it wasn't Elizabeth, he would still be jealous because frankly this sagefan, from what he had Rodney tell him was hot. No hotter than hot, she was burning hot! Of course Sheppard, knew Rodney could exaggerate and besides this was coming from the man who had said a wraith on the Aurora was hot.

No, he was going to find out for Rodney, not just for himself but for his best friend. Sheppard book marked the page he had stopped at and grabbed up his shoes, he was going to find out period. Just where to begin was the question he thought, as he made a beeline zig-zag to the mess hall, but first food.

* * *

**A/N: **Here's the translation to what Beckett said:

Iasg mò do bhriogais – means a one eyed trouser snake

Don't give me your havers – is usually said to the person, and a listener, it means your talking rubbish or he/she is talking rubbish.

' Rubbish' means – trash/nonsense.


	12. Misinterpreted Facts

… **.LV. **…

**Part 12:**

**Misinterpreted Facts**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration**: Helpless Fool For Love by Annie

* * *

Sheppard shuffled down the hall, his hands in his pockets, hair rustling. He was suppose to be looking for Sidge but his mind was elsewhere. He hadn't of planned on actually asking her, Dr. Weir, but he decidedly better to ask and know than to not know at all.

After the situation with that Dr. Sandra Simone and Kavanagh, he hadn't the heart to try and ask Elizabeth then, but now after a day and half later, he decided to just ask and get it over with.

So as he neared her office, he tried thinking of ways to slowly ease into the situation without breaking the question on her right away.

It was going on about 10:00 hours Atlantean Time but he knew she would be in her office still filling out the report on the incident the other day. It dealt mostly with two separate missions that two teams had barely made a break from after Wraith Hive Ships had attacked the planets they had gated to.

Hearing voices, Sheppard slowed, his eyes locked on the back of a person talking to Elizabeth. Apparently it was something intense, because every time the person wafted their hands out away from them, Elizabeth would giggle.

Giggle like a school-girl. It was rather endearing. As the person wafted its hands about again, Sheppard noted it was a woman. From the back all he could tell or at least note was that she had long, blonde braided hair.

As Elizabeth enunciated her own words with a few wild hand gestures, the two laughed hysterically.

Shaking his head, Sheppard rubbed his chin he had to know what was going on. Crouching down, he dashed to the area just out of reach of the door to Elizabeth's office. Leaning his head slightly around the corner, he caught sight of the woman, Elizabeth was talking to.

"Meliss keeps telling me I should do something about it but at the moment I haven't really decided either way."

"Well all I can tell you is if you don't, she won't."

"I guess your right but seriously how am I suppose to ask him, he is always busy or Sheppard is always around and I can't get close enough to ask him about it…"

Elizabeth's eyes twinkled, "Sidge needs a little nudge, there is no harm in that right?"

"ahh…na, na, na…"

"Oh come on, we both know he has it or at least suspect he has it and I have been good so far in not divulging the secret but it's time now."

"But what about Katie?" asked the woman, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Sheppard was faintly reminded of the fight or flight syndrome.

"Who…Katie Brown? As far as I know, she and him are not dating at all but again I haven't had a chat with Rodney on his personal dating life so…If it wasn't for Sidge I would have demanded Rodney give it back but I held back because she asked. Its time now…either I do it or Sidge or you do it."

"That's okay, I get what you mean. Still, I just wish I didn't have to face him one on one to ask for Sidge to get her diary back when we don't even know he has it for sure. I just don't get it, if he has it why doesn't he just give it back already?"

"Because," said Weir, slapping the woman on her arm, "He is fascinated and come on who wouldn't want to read someone else's diary, especially if it was from the opposite sex and it happened to be someone who you thought or knew was smitten with you?"

"Yeah I know. I just hate to be the mail delivery girl who got shot!"

Seeing both women shake their heads and giggle, Sheppard began to creep back away. So Elizabeth wasn't Sidge or sagefan, that was quite frankly a relief but that still didn't give him any ideas as to who sagefan was. Well he could now add Elizabeth to the list on those in on the whole fiasco known as sagefan, mystery woman.

"Well, I've really got to be going but I think I might just go do that right now and…hm…"

As he turned, he heard a gasp and then a voice asked him, "Lt. Colonel Sheppard, and why am I not surprised?"

Scrunching up his shoulders, Sheppard turned to face Dr. Simone, her smoky, black eyes glaring at him amused.

"What, I ah…wasn't…"

"Please, don't try with the excuses. Hi I don't think we've been introduced, I'm Dr…"

"Dr. Sandra Simone. I…ah heard the name in the gate room…the other day," said Sheppard stretching out his hand to capture hers.

"Yes well…what brings you a'sneaking around the halls this night? Out to catch a wraith after us two women?" said Simone, snickering.

If ever there was a time he found a woman as distasteful as drinking grapefruit juice, it would be this one. She was like a night and day vixen. When last he had seen her, she had behaved quite differently, running away from Kavanagh with almost tears in her eyes.

"Oh you know…nothing much…just the usual…no Wraith actually…so ah…what do you do here? I don't think I remember seeing you before."

Her wicked smile, took him aback, as he tried hard to swallow the lump in his throat. Spoiled grapefruit juice or not…she was definitely a Vixen…no in the a femme fatale league. And as she licked her lower lip, slightly, he found himself forcing his breaths to slow.

"Sheppard?" asked Dr. Weir, as she joined the conversation outside her office, crossing her arms. "Something we ladies can do for you?"

Shaking his head mentally, Sheppard shooed off the sudden urge to rush at this Simone and kiss her while at the same time wanting to smack her upside the head.

"No…no…I was just…ah…leaving…" said Sheppard as he turned to flee, then thought better of it. "Say…I was wondering…cause I over heard you're um…conversation. Not that I was eavesdropping or…"

"Or anything…" supplied Simone, innocently.

Dr. Weir smiled as she glanced at Simone.

"Exactly, ah…but you wouldn't happen to know who this ah…Sag…I mean Sidge might be?"

He silently hoped he hadn't revealed anything too vital.

"And why would you want to know who Sidge is? After all you shouldn't have been eavesdropping in the first place." said Simone, her eyes slowly traveling the length of his frame.

Feeling distinctly vulnerable, like a rabbit before a ravenous wolf, Sheppard felt the need to cross his legs and arms, casually of course.

"Well…you…ah…"

"You know about the situation then…or at least some of it I'm guessing," said Elizabeth, keeping her urge to laugh down.

"Yeah…I sort of…stumbled across…a never mind…so do you know her or not?"

"Well…I might? But who's to say I should tell you hm?" said Simone, wrinkling her petite nose at Sheppard, her eyes seductively glaring at him.

Sheppard stopped the urge to scratch down yonder, as he tried to think up something to say.

Dr. Weir shook her head again and smiled, "Oh Monie just stop teasing him. She means well…Sidge is someone who I don't think you've met yet Sheppard, she's a mutual friend of ours who if you haven't already heard…" said Dr. Weir her voice conveying her dislike of his eavesdropping, "she happens to be taken with Rodney."

Dr. Simone nodded her head, her braid swinging back and forth. "There is just one thing, Rodney can't know because she is shy and ask us not to say anything. Also please tell Rodney that if he wants to return that which is not his to give it to Dr. Reeds, I think you know who that is. Now if you two both don't mind I need to go get some sleep."

As Dr. Simone began to walk away she turned back to Dr. Weir. "Don't tell him who Sidge is got it?" said Simone, giving a pistol fire hand gesture and smirking as she continued down the hallway.

Sheppard shook his head as he found his eyes transfixed on her rear exterior, those soft curves and the way they bounced slightly as she moved from one foot to another down the hall, made him stare.

"Well seems my accomplice doesn't want me to garnish the secret on you, so your going to have to go with…just this little tid bit," said Elizabeth as she lowered her voice, "She works in the general lab area, under the science division."

Sheppard shook his head in disbelief, "How does that constitute as a tidbit?"

Dr. Weir shrugged her shoulders, "Depends…well goodnight Colonel."

As he left he now knew where to start his search, just wait until he tells Rodney the good news. As he made it to the transport, he saw one last glimpse of Dr. Simone returning to give something to Elizabeth. God that woman had a nice butt!

* * *


	13. Midnight Visitor

… **.LV. **…

**Part 13:**

**Midnight Visitor**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration**: Everlasting by Ryan Farish

* * *

Rodney moaned, he had somehow in mid roll, while sleeping, clonked his foot on the bed's metal railing below the mattress and it was throbbing painfully. Hopefully he hadn't added to the messed up foot.

He had been tossing and turning since he had finally been forced to rest at 6:00, now he could only guess what time of the night it was. Thankfully, he knew Beckett would be around, due to the patients needing nightly medicine for a flu/cold going around.

It was actually one of the worst nights he had had in a long time. Well, since the incidents involving abduction by Ford, the Genii and whoever else he could add to the list. Not to mention all those 'imminent danger' events that kept popping up like weeds among the roses.

One thing he did like however was the fact that Kavanagh was getting the brunt of Carson's disgruntled attitude and spiel. Of course it could also be that Sheppard was finally being helpful for once and not putting him down or picking on him. Not that he thought Sheppard picked on him but blah…

Rodney nudged the covers down over his shoulders, as sweat trickled down his captured right arm he lay on. All the pointless thoughts spinning in his head were only proving to be a distraction from actual sleep.

As he tossed and turned until he found a comfortable spot, he felt a damp rag touch his forehead. A soft voice drew his busy mind away from thoughts of banging down all the doorframes in Atlantis with a rubber mallet.

"It's all right Rodney, you're just having a bad dream. Dr. Beckett is coming over once he takes care of the Marine in the far corner, to give you something for the pain."

The damp cloth felt good against his sweaty skin and he welcomed it. Too tired to lift his eyes open, he laid there, as the tender touch of fingers pressed gently against his cheek. They massaged lazily his forehead as he tried to find the words to say thank you.

When two fingers held over his lips, after several attempts to utter words that his dry throat wouldn't allow, a straw was brought to his lips.

"Here."

Sipping lightly, he opened his eyes to meet a blurry face, when recognition didn't set in, he found his voice.

"Thanks…I…how are you?"

Realizing he had said the wrong thing, he tried to rephrase the sentence but found he needed another sip before he could get a word out.

"I meant…who are you?"

"…"

As the features took shape, he found the blurry outline of a mouth smile, "Dr. McKay…I…have to go…but Carson will be back in a few. Kay… Get some rest and please don't give him a hard time, he is only doing what a doctor is suppose to do…harass his patients until they comply."

The figure's hair he could tell was a brownish red and medium in length from what he could ascertain. He rolled over for comfort as the woman began to get up; he reached out, his fingers surprisingly heavy.

"Wait…please…don't go…"

As his fingers wrapped gently around the smooth milky skin, he frowned as he saw Carson in the background, moving across the infirmary a large needle in hand.

Leaning in, the woman, whispered in his ear. "Don't worry…I don't think that is for you. I think it's for the big jerk with the wanna-be-Steven Seagull ponytail in the back."

Rodney grinned and as he was about to comment his voice suddenly caught as he coughed hard. Darn! The last thing he needed was to get a cold while having an injured foot. He knew that a nasty cold/flu was circulating in Atlantis and had seemed to be making its rounds but he had hoped that he would be one of those lucky ones who wouldn't get the blasted thing.

When a hand held his back, as he coughed, he felt it slid down a little lower than he would expect a nurse to go, were this woman a nurse at all. Once the coughing had ceased and he had yet another sip of water, this time by his own hand, he looked into the face of the woman who was still holding his lower back.

"Just take slow breaths Dr. McKay…I think you've got what everyone else around here is catching."

"Wait do I know you? …are…you?" said Rodney, stammering, his eyes trying to adjust to the blur he was seeing.

"Oh…ah…um…"

Then suddenly she was scattering back, her hand covering her face and the next thing he knew he was staring at Carson. If there was one thing he could say was that the woman seemed like she wanted to remain anonymous.

"I'm sorry but I'm…not…ah…really…ah…Dr. Beckett?" said the woman, as she turned to him.

"Yes…my dear what are you still doing here and so late? Ah, come to see our permanent resident genius…" said Dr. Beckett, as he gave Rodney the shot, and a wink.

"No, Carson…who is that woman…wait…I don't want to go to sleep…please…I…ah…" said Rodney, as he found his eyes beginning to droop once more.

"Rodney…?" said the woman, as she slowly walked towards him, her hand still hiding her face.

The edge of consciousness beckoned to him. The much needed sleep and relief from the pain he was feeling made him surrender far more easily than he would have allowed had he been better prepared. Then he felt a hand on his lips and a voice whispering into his ear.

"You'll find her when you least expect, Rodney. Remember it goes both ways. Now rest, you need it."

In the far distance he heard Dr. Beckett say, "You like him don't you?"

And the ladies' voice replied. "Yes I do…"

* * *

Sheppard grinned, it was late, he knew that but he decided if what's her name wasn't going to give up information, he could at least inform Rodney.

"Why do I do these things for Rodney anyways?" Thought Sheppard, as he put his hands into his pockets. "Because he has proven himself many times over, as Teyla put it, and he is your friend. Friend…that's a concept I'm going to have to get use to, with him."

As Sheppard made his way down to the infirmary he heard voices and Rodney's voice softly talking with a…woman's voice? Sheppard grinned, so finally Rodney decides to be polite to a nurse for once in his life…well that's a first.

As he reached out for the door, the handle slipped out of his hands as he came face to face with a woman, covering her face with her hands. As she rushed passed him, he caught a glimpse of a thin scrawled golden lightning tattoo on her left cheek. Something about the way she moved and the fact that her hair was a brunette…sent off warning bells.

That was it. Sheppard had had enough of this cat and mouse game…he was going to see who this sagefan woman is even if that means tackling her to the ground. Making an abrupt about face, Sheppard raced after her, hot on her heels.

This had to be sagefan…he couldn't be a 100% positive but he was pretty sure and that was good enough to merit chasing the fleeing woman as she raced to the transporter. Just as the doors closed, he skidded to a stop in front of it, seeing her cover her face.

Snapping his fingers, Sheppard looked around to see if he could figure out where she had went, by the time he had made it back to the infirmary the look of disappointment on his face was clear enough that Carson inquired.

"Sheppard? Are you all right?" he asked, with a clipboard in hand, his stethoscope around his neck.

"No, I think that was Rodney's mystery woman that just took a baseball dive into the transporter from me."

Carson was intrigued. Rodney's mystery woman? Well if that wasn't some interesting news he didn't know what was. Shaking his head in disbelief he began to ask but stopped as Sheppard held up his finger.

"I know. I know. Mystery woman. I'm working on it okay. Doc do you know who she is?"

Carson shrugged. "A little I know she goes by Sidge but I don't know much more than that."

"Alright…" Sheppard bobbed his head. "So how is Rodney doing?"

He watched Carson pull on his stethoscope. "Colonel…how long have you been wheezing?"

Sheppard shrugged. "Does it really matter? That still doesn't answer the question to how is Rodney doing?"

Carson moved forward putting his stethoscope into his ears and putting the clipboard down on the infirmary bed nearby. "Yes and that still doesn't answer mine. Now I want to you remove your jacket so I can take a listen to your lungs.

Scowling Sheppard replied, "I'm not sick! I don't have that damn flu/cold or cold/flu or whatever that thing is all right. All I did was come down here for information on Rodney's foot. I'm not here for me, I…"

As he had begun to continue on, Carson held his own finger up. "Breath in for me and out Colonel.

The man was apparently not listening to him, so Sheppard gave up and complied. After several minutes, he found himself undressing into scrubs and laying down in an infirmary bed next to Rodney.

"Carson, what is all this about? I'm not sick. Not s-i-k-c. I mean s-i-c-k. End of story. Period. The end. And on the rare chance I am, I don't need to be here in the infirmary."

"I however, believe you have it and I'm not letting you go anywhere for the next couple of days. You and Rodney both. What am I going to do with the two of you?" said Carson as he picked up the clipboard again and returned to checking on the Marine before returning to administer something to help the man sleep.

Thoroughly disgusted, Sheppard pulled on the hem of the scrubs. How he hated the darn things. They itched, not to mention they had this antiseptic sort of smell and least should he mention the ugly color of them.

Shaking his head, Sheppard felt the room spin. "Okay so sick after all. Maybe I will stay just a little while longer." Said Sheppard, as he felt his eyelids suddenly feel heavy with sleep.

As Carson returned he smiled. Both men needed rest and he knew it too. That flu/cold was one of the strongest strains he had seen in a long time. With it, it brought all the symptoms rolled into one and a few extras like phenomena or upper respiratory infections. So far Atlantis had been lucky no one had yet died from the flu but Dr. Weir consented to grounding all of the teams until the flu could be contained.

Returning to his new hot coffee, Carson picked back up his Romantic novel…at least one thing he could say he liked about night shifts, they gave you time to read your novels.

* * *

**A/N**: well there you have it more intrigue and mystery to heap on…poor Rodney…he is really having it bad.


	14. Restless

… **.LV. **…

**Part 14:**

**Restless**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

Sheppard tossed and turned as he tried to drown out Rodney's snoring with his pillow but whatever frog had creeped down the man's throat apparently had other plans for the hearing impaired.

As he scooted his hands over the pillow, still the ever-persistent Rodney McKay snore drilled into his brain like needles. Frustrated at Beckett's insistence that he stay in the infirmary and at the fact that his book sat on his end table, in his room was just more to add to his list of frustrations.

Aside from those, there was the "Rodney's snore" and the fact that this whole sagefan fiasco was starting to just annoy him now. He really wished that the woman would just give up this charade and confront Rodney, tell him her feelings and ask for her diary back.

Still, he had his suspicions that the diary in the book pile thing wasn't really an accident at all but on purpose…with intent!

Sheppard snorted. He really needed to get some sleep. He had thought about asking Beckett for sleeping pills but he was the type that if you were dying or really miserable take medicine otherwise don't bother.

Rodney's froggy snore wafted it's musical tones over Sheppard's ears again, and made him punch his pillow.

"For crying out loud, Rodney! Would you shut it up over there!" growled Sheppard, wiping the sweat from his eyes.

Sheesh. Thought Sheppard. The room is getting so hot. Why did someone mess with the environmental controls?

Rodney replied, by throwing a wadded up piece of snotty tissue at Sheppard, who in turn protested with disgust.

"Gross Rodney!"

"Well that's what you get for waking me up. I finally got to sleep with all this dripping nasal congestion and the foot thing, I would think you would have just a little consideration for…what are you doing here in the infirmary Sheppard?" replied Rodney, turning to get a better look at Sheppard.

Sheppard shrugged as he wiped another trickle of sweat making its sick journey down between his brows. "All I did was come down here to see how you were doing and next thing I know I'm forced into scrubs and then to bed. It appears I have what everyone else around here is catching…a cold."

Sheppard groaned as he felt his lower back stiffen. So he was sick…definitely sick. That didn't mean confine him to the infirmary.

"Jeez…is it just me or is it getting really hot in here?" asked Sheppard, rubbing the back of his hand across his forehead.

"Are you all right? You don't look so good," asked Rodney.

"I just don't feel…so…oh my god…I thin k…I'm gunna…" grunted Sheppard, as he leaned over the side of the railing to the bed and retched up breakfast, lunch and dinner. Of course that wasn't including the Ensure he had been forced to drink or the two chocolate bars he had consumed.

Soon enough, Beckett had heard the sounds and ran to him with a trashcan, for whatever little he still had to reltch up.

"EWWW!" screamed Rodney, as he tried to look away from the steady stream of bile and chunks of uneaten food slopping onto the floor from Sheppard's mouth.

As his gag reflex finished off the full contents of his stomach, he felt a reassuring hand on his back.

"It's alright Sheppard. Just take it easy. I'll just go get someone to clean this up. Now…let me…hm…your shaking. Sheppard I'm going to check your body temperature," said Beckett as he pulled a thermometer from his lab coat pocket. "Never know when I'll need one these days. Okay I want you to hold this in your ear until I return is that understood," said Beckett, already running for one of the other nurses.

Sheppard hadn't the energy to complain and simply stuck the thing in is ear, as he used the towel to wipe the remaining mess from his lips, face and mouth.

Once Beckett had returned, it was discovered he had a temperature of 101 and was given something both to help bring the fever down and something to help him sleep. As he felt himself drifting asleep, Rodney settled back down in his bed, and grumbled about having only relched 8 times in his lifetime.

* * *

_7:00 Atlantean time_

Sparring with Teyla had always been adventurous in its own right. It came second nature to himself so when Teyla had landed a devastating blow to his chest that sent him flying to the floor, wheezing, it was then that he knew something was wrong.

"Ronon are you alright? You seem distracted," said Teyla, as she offered her hand to him.

"No…sick," said Ronon, as he leaned to one side and had his dinner make a return appearance.

After he had finished, a disgruntled Scot had entered and forced him to go to the infirmary. All the while Ronon had given Teyla the you sold me out look.

Once he had entered the infirmary, he had seen both Sheppard and Rodney sleeping in beds near one another, out cold.

"Ronon, would you please put the scrubs on, this flu/cold that is going around appears to be making its full round," said Beckett. His brow creased with worry.

If this wasn't stopped soon, there would be more problems than Atlantis was equipped to handle. As if that wasn't the least of his concerns, Rodney had developed an infection around his puncture wound and the Marine didn't appear to look like he was going to recover from the flu/cold.

Beckett shook his head. What he needed to do was contact Dr. Weir and let her know about the epidemic as soon as possible. There was no point in forcing the sick in the infirmary but if it was at all any way possible that he could contain the strain he hoped this would work or at least delay it.

Once he had Ronon tested the same virus popped up, shaking his head again, he woke up Elizabeth.

"Dr. Weir?"

Several scraps, bonks, ohs, ouches and thumps later Dr. Weir answered. "Yes? Carson?"

"I'm sorry love to disturb you but I think you should know that our little flu/cold situation has gotten worse."

"How much worse?"

"As in if we don't work on this thing now, we may very well lose people to it."

If that wasn't a good enough answer, he didn't know what would be.

"Agreed."

* * *

**A/N: **I can never sleep if somebody is snoring. I have to first fall asleep before anybody else because snoring keeps me awake and restless.


	15. Sheppard’s Conspiracy Theory

… **.LV. **…

**Part 15:**

**Sheppard's Conspiracy Theory**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

Stuffy. Disconnected. Sore. Were all words that described Rodney as he sat up, his eyes focusing on Sheppard leaning over the side of the bed, his head in his hands.

"What's wrong?"

Sheppard's s shook his head as he rubbed his temples with his first two fingers. "Just a headache."

Rodney supposed this little flu/cold felt a lot worse than it really was. He himself could protest to the fact that in spite of his foot injury which really wasn't bothering him all that much, he was feeling like, well crap. Plain out miserable was more the word to describe how he was feeling. His back throbbed painfully in every place possible, not to mention the nasty migraine that seemed to move from place to place around his head, just to keep things interesting. Then there was the sore, dry throat and the coughing.

The coughing was more like a crossbreed between a throaty voice impression of a dog and the chirping of a frog. It was horrible to feel or even listen to. If that wasn't bad enough, he could feel his nasal congestion deep in his chest every time he coughed too hard. His nose was stuffed up on both nostrils and he kept getting fevers. It was sort of like one moment he was freezing and the next burning, as if he had just stepped into a Sauna bath.

Shaking his own head, he tried not to let his nausea engulf him, as the room moved with his head.

"I…thought you might want to know I ran into sagefan," said Sheppard, from beneath his massaging hands.

"WHAT!" shouted Rodney, sitting up to stare at Sheppard in disbelief.

"Rodney don't shout."

"Okay so who is she, what does she look like and…"

Putting up his hand, Sheppard explained, "Shh. Just let me finish. Headache remember…I didn't get a good look at her." When he saw Rodney's frown, he continued. "I tried alright but she made it to the transporter before I could get a good look. If there is one thing I can tell you, she has some kind of small tattoo on right cheek. It's kind of like a…"

"A gold lightning bolt?" said Rodney, as adjusted his pillow waiting for him to continue.

"Yeah, exactly. How did you know?" asked Sheppard, as he looked through the tops of his eyes.

"She came here to visit me. I was too out of it but I remember seeing something odd on her cheek. I thought maybe I was just seeing things and made a mistake but now I know for sure what it was. Do you think she…"

"Rodney."

"Yes?"

"I think you should know the woman knows Elizabeth and apparently Elizabeth knows her. Also for the record she's is science division, you should know who you hired."

"Oh really and do you think I'm the only one?" said Rodney, eying Sheppard. "Zelenka hired a few new people because he asked me if he could in replace of empty work stations. I agreed so no I don't know all the science division currently."

"Okay then did you know that Dr. Reeds and Dr. Simone also seem to be in on the whole thing."

"Wait Dr. Simone? Isn't she the one that…"

"Yes that's the one."

Rodney thought about it. "Interesting that Elizabeth knows her," said Rodney, as he sneezed consecutively.

He had remembered hearing rumors about the incident in the gate room a few days ago but he hadn't known it was Dr. Simone. The same one who he had seen with sagefan in the laundry room.

"Yeah I thought so too"

"So did you…?"

"Yup and neither her nor Monie, as Dr. Simone goes by, will say anything. Trust me I tried. Though I did learn Sidge works in your division and you might have met her before."

"REALLY?" said Rodney, grinning feverishly then frowned. "Wait I just told you Zelenka hired some new people. I wouldn't know who they are yet. I mean yes I give the final okay but that doesn't mean I remember them after like a day. So if she is in my division then Zelenka might have sent her to me…oh lovely a reject."

He hadn't seen anybody like sagefan before and he would have definitely remembered seeing a sexy brunette drooling over him.

"Rodney that's not nice."

"Well I'm just saying…okay maybe that was a little harsh. She's probably still hot but seriously Zelenka sending me a lackey doesn't sound like points in her favor."

"Maybe he sent her to your division because she likes you and he knows about it."

Rodney scratched his chin. "I suppose that's possible and I'm betting she's still hot."

Sheppard rolled his eyes. "Your drooling."

"No your…I mean I'm not."

"Yup."

"I'm not," supplied Rodney, discreetly wiping at his mouth.

"You know it's kind of like a conspiracy in a way."

"A what?"

"Yeah and everyone is not out to get you but it's more like to keep you from getting Sidge."

"It's not a conspiracy Sheppard," said Rodney, resisting the bubbly stomach acid that was threatening a heaving episode.

"I'm betting it is."

"Oh come on Sheppard."

"No I'm serious it's a conspiracy now."

"Okay how is it a conspiracy?" said Rodney crossing his arms and glaring at Sheppard's bent head.

"Well gee I don't know maybe it's the fact that everyone here seems to know about this sagefan and you don't." Before Rodney could interject he plowed onward, "And…nobody seems to want to tell you who she is. But…yes we mustn't forget the fact that you wouldn't have known about her little crush on you if you hadn't of found her diary, which in it of itself is curious altogether."

"I fail to see how this is worthy of being called a conspiracy and what do you mean curious?" asked Rodney, sipping from the glass of water at his stand.

"Because Rodney, nobody would do that accidentally. Despite your little naughty book being tossed in the pile, and a few others, dare I say, kinky books, nobody even on their worst day would forget and give their diary to a donation unless it was on purpose."

"WAIT A MINUTE? HOW DO YOU…."

"Rodney McKay!" said the nurse Alicia, stopping at the end of Rodney's bed. "There are patients in here that cannot sleep if you keep a yelling at the top of your lungs. Don't' think that I won't tell Dr. Beckett about this. You think you can come on in here and disrupt my patients as sick as they are and get away with it, you are sadly mistaken!" barked the nurse, her coffee brown eyes swirling with fury.

Rodney usually was the type to snark back held his tongue because this particular nurse had used the dirty card. The card that meant Dr. Beckett would be soon coming by with a big, sharp, pointy needle if he didn't watch it, so instead he scowled at her and then in a voice too low for her to hear he said, "I wasn't disrupting! You run of the mill, pixie shop pansy, good-for nothing street thug of a woman."

Sheppard had heard him though and stared at Rodney blankly, resisting the urge to laugh.

"What?"

Sheppard shook his head in shame. "Jeez Rodney, stop shouting."

"I WAS NOT…" When the Nurse turned around, he lowered his voice. "…shouting. I was simply pointing out that…nevermind so how did you find out about the book…err I mean what book?"

Sheppard grinned. "What book? Oh come on Rodney, I saw it the other day on your worktable, lying open."

"Really. Hm…interesting though he decided to return it, I guess he got bored with it or either that or they broke up."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Zelenka. He took my book and has been using it on his girlfriend, Dr. Reeds."

"Oh…weird. Well don't worry I did the proper thing and flipped it closed."

"Tcha yeah and I suppose you have it your room at this very instant, trying to scam any of the numerous women on Atlantis to come and sleep with you so you can try some of the techniques out right?

Sheppard glowered. He didn't need this crap from Rodney. "NO! I WOULD NEVER DO THA…"

The nurse Alicia turned and glared at Sheppard. "And I suppose you be thinking you can get away with this too huh?" she said, as she shook her index finger at him. " Colonel despite popular belief, you are in no position nor any positions medically wise that exempts you from the rules we all abide by. And were it so that you were in any medical position that me or Dr. Beckett were in, you would still respect the rules just as if they were your own. I assure you gentlemen that if either one of you makes another loud raucous of any sort, I will be bringing in Beckett and he will set you straight."

Both men looked at one another and gulped.

Just then Ronon spoke across the room at the two of them his voice cracking. "You know she's got a point, keep it down. I'm trying to sleep."

Rodney stared at Ronon but held his tongue; the man didn't look so well.

"Ronon are you alright?" asked Sheppard, turning slightly to look at him.

"Yeah fine."

Then Ronon fluffed his pillow and scouted back down onto the bed. Once he had settled back down, Sheppard turned back to Rodney and in a hushed whisper, he hissed, "I would never do that, Rodney."

"Sure you wouldn't you horn-dog!"

"Right and you're so spotless. Keeping someone's diary from them."

"OH YEAH SO?"

"YOU…Uh…hi Carson," said Sheppard, innocently as he scouted down on the infirmary bed.

"Ehem. How many times does Alicia have to tell you two? There are patients in here that are very sick and need peace and quiet. Not to mention we could all use some peace and quiet from your bickering. Now if you two cannot stop it I will separate you two into isolated areas. Is that understood?"

Suddenly from the back near the isolated curtained area, Alicia screamed, "Doctor! It's…the he's…"

"I'll be back!" said Beckett as he raced to the back.

Rodney looked at Sheppard, who was gawking at the rush of the medical staff. "It's the marine. I don't know his name but I think he…"

"Died," supplied Ronon as he watched two nurses exit the curtained area, their heads hung.

Of all the things to lose a soldier to, the flu, was not what he had expected to ever see happen, especially in Atlantis, but he figured that Atlantis even in all it's wonders couldn't address every hardship and if it could it would have been able to stop the Wraith dead in their tracks.

Sheppard and Rodney watched as the gurney with the covered body was rolled out of the infirmary to Dr. Biro's lab next store.

He could only hope that Beckett and his team would be able to stop the virus in its tracks before more deaths occurred.

* * *

**A/N:** And the suspense builds. I hope you won't mind a little suspense and drama. Don't worry sagefan is going to be a major player coming up in the next chapters.


	16. Paths Cross Unknowingly

**Warning:** This is the aftermath of the Marine's death sort of, it's a little sad…So bare with it k. I tried to capture the emotion of the situation I hope I succeeded.

**A/N: **As for the medical terminology etc…I'm no doctor so if I get it wrong please correct me. No problem.

* * *

… **.LV. **…

**Part 16:**

**Paths Cross Unknowingly**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

Hunkering low to the floor, he watched his quarry. He didn't care if he was disobeying Carson's orders. He had found her and that was all that mattered. His lovely sagefan. Her sweet smile. Her short tresses swishing and as she moved about the lab, observing several recordings on a wraith data device recovered from a wreck during one of the other teams missions.

_As she turned her back to him, he stood up and tippy-toed to her. When he was close enough to reach out and tap her shoulder, she turned around… _

_Her face was that of Samatha Carter's. Her hair now a short curly blonde and her eyes of blue sparkled dangerously. Rodney's eyes slid down to drink in the image of sleek, red mini dress underneath a white lab coat. Her eyes were questioning and her pale white skin tempting. Then suddenly she slapped him and screamed, "How dare you! Your cheating on me with this hussy. This little girl! You should be with me not her!" _

_Rodney took a moment to rub his cheek before looking her up and down again. God she looked so sexy. Then he backed away as she drew back a fist to punch him. _

"_But Sam were not dating and you don't like me. Sagefan does. You don't. Not that I'm not touched by this outcry blonde."_

_Sam's eyebrows raised as she jumped him, her legs wrapping tightly around his, her body pressed against his. "But don't you want me? Rodney…" she sizzled out his name warmly before leaning in to kiss him. _

"_Oh yes. I knew you were hot Sam!" Rodney kissed her back, his lips sucking on hers _

_That was when he heard a strange smacking sound. Stopping mid kiss, he rubbed his arm. _

"_Jeez, Sam…if you want me okay fine, but you don't have to get violent on me." _

"McKay!" said Sheppard amused, suddenly feeling a sneeze come on. "Wake up you big oaf!"

Rodney opened his eyes to Sheppard slapping his arm hard. That was when he had rolled his head over into something wet and sticky. Jerking from the wet pillow, a saliva string connected to the pillow from his mouth began to break, letting its tendril slap against his chin.

"Gross!" grouched Sheppard, backing away to his own bed.

Hastily Rodney wiped the drool off his chin with his arm, while giving his best, you-are-a-jerk expression.

McKay stared at Sheppard and then at the awkward position he had put himself in. He had drooled all over his pillow, the sheets had entangled his injured foot and his lips were still puckered. Rodney figured he had been doing a type of overactive dreaming.

Rodney stared at Sheppard deadpan. It wasn't like he could help his 'overactive imagination' while dreaming.

Sheppard smiled. "So…Colonel Carter?" said Sheppard, his expression mocking Rodney.

Rodney glared back. "Oh shut up!" said Rodney, wiping away the new glob of drool sliding out of his mouth.

Sheppard crinkled his nose at Rodney, his eyes a storm of disgust. "You disgust me!" punctuated Sheppard, as he pulled his own covers that had slipped down, back up on him.

Rodney gruffly rubbed his foot before glaring at Sheppard. "Yeah well…your no angel either!" Then realizing the whole situation had gotten worse, as he took notice of Ronon's amused face from across the way. "What are you looking at?" grouched Rodney, as he slowly turned his pillow over, to the dryer side.

Ronon raised his eyebrows, "Just you trying to kiss air."

Rodney whined in frustration. "It wasn't my fault. I was having a dream about…"

"Oh Sam…please Sam…don't hate me because I'm whiny and want sagefan more than you," mocked Sheppard bemused.

"Excuse me! I told you…you know what just..."

"What?" said both Ronon and Sheppard at the same time, grins on their faces.

"Just both of you shut it!" Rodney crossed his arms, as he ignored Ronon's smirk and Sheppard's disgusted face.

That was when Rodney heard a weeping sound coming from Carson's office, it was desperate, so full of sorrow and all three men listened quietly as the sound escalated.

"My dear… it's not your fault," said Carson's voice, sounding comforting yet so sad.

"Yes it is!" screamed the female voice, the weeping one.

"No it's not! My dear, how can it be your fault?" said Carson's voice again, the strain in it, making Sheppard stare at the closed door.

"Do you suppose it's someone who knows him?" said Rodney, half curious.

"Don't know…suppose it could be…" said Sheppard, trying his darnest to remember the marine's name.

Ronon shrugged as the feminine voice yelled. "So your telling me this could have been prevented? Great! So my brother died because of your negligence?!"

"No my dear, we couldn't of have known he had a …"

"Yes you could have! You could have scanned him with those Advanced machines…you could have… Why didn't you call me…tell…me…anything…" asked the female.

There had been desperation in the voice, it's pleading desolving into the most painful weeping. It had such sorrow in it, such lack of hope, such utter despair. Sheppard decided to go and check.

Leaping down from his bed, Sheppard sniffled a couple of times and grabbed a tissue.

"Where are you going?" asked Rodney, returning his gaze at Sheppard.

"To see if there isn't something I can't do," said Sheppard, walking slowly past Rodney's bed.

"But what can you…"

"This man…he was part of my command. It's only fair that I be there for his family members…" said Sheppard, leaving the rest of his explanation to Rodney's thoughts as he made his way to the door.

Rodney began to say something else when Ronon's stare stopped him.

"Rodney…let him be," said Ronon.

Sheppard neared the door, and before clearing his throat knocked strongly.

"My dear…yes?" said Carson.

"Is everything alright?" said Sheppard, turning the handle to the door to step inside.

The sight that greeted him was a young woman a little shorter than Rodney, siting on the chair before Carson's private office, her legs pulled up to her chest, a baseball cap covering her face, her arms snug around her legs.

Carson's worried expression said it all. "This is Corporal Jared McGuinely's sister…Dr. McGuinely."

Sheppard nodded his head, as he turned back to whisper in Carson's ear, "What happened…how did it happen?" asked Sheppard.

"He died from the combination of the phenomena and a form of lung cancer."

"How is that possible? Didn't you see it on the scans?" asked Sheppard.

How could Carson have missed something as important as lung cancer?

"No, because the scans didn't show any malformation on his lungs or in fact anywhere on his lungs. It is possible that because it grew so slowly, that the spreading didn't show up until very late in the development of the tumor, but by the time it did, he was too far-gone. His last scan did indicate fluid and some darker spots, which I took samples and found no indication of cancer cells," said Carson, his eyebrows scrunched up.

From the chair, Sheppard stared as the woman flinched once while she pulled a small Shiseido compact out from her pocket. After dabbing it a few times on her right cheek, she closed it with a resounding snap and replaced it back in her pocket. No longer crying she stood up, her baseball cap lowered.

Carson's eyes lowered a bit. "If only I had…"

"Look, Carson…it's not your fault. If the scan didn't show it and the tests than it wasn't anybody's fault..."

"Yes it is!" screamed the woman, to stand before him and Carson. "It's your…fault," she said pointing an accusatory finger at Carson, "He's dead because of you. If you had just…"

"Dr. McGuinely right?" said Sheppard, trying his best to keep the situation under control. "I know your upset and angry but Carson did the very best that he could do with what little information he had. I'm sorry that your brother died but blaming someone isn't going to bring him back."

That was when her lowered baseball cap came up, and her eyes welled with tears, behind her glasses. "I'm sorry…I know that. I just miss…"

"Him," said Sheppard, offering one of his non-snotty tissues to her.

"Yes… ew yuck…I hope this doesn't have snot on it," said Dr. McGuinely, a slight amusement in her shaky voice.

"No, I promise," said Sheppard, watching as she blew her reddened nose into the tissue.

Something seemed vaguely familiar about her but he couldn't quite place it.

Carson leaned over as she rubbed her eyes, "Thanks…"

"Don't worry about it," said Sheppard, suddenly reaching out to find leverage on Carson's desk.

"Whoa, Colonel," said Carson, grabbing Sheppard's arm.

Feeling a chair slide behind him and hands on his other arm, Sheppard slowly sat down.

"You should be resting, Colonel," said Dr. McGuinely, her hand on his shoulder, sniffing back the tears.

"Yes well…"

"Carson? I'm sorry…"

"It's alright love," said Carson, his voice gentle and soothing.

As Sheppard closed his eyes for a moment, he felt Carson's hand on his forehead. "You have a slight fever, Colonel," he said as he reached for a bottle of aspirins. "I want you take two of these and then go back to bed," said Carson, shoving two round white pills into his hand.

Once Sheppard had gotten a glass to wash the chalky pills down, he stared up at Carson, shaking his head. "I don't need to stay in the infirmary I hope you know."

Carson shook his head, "You are still recovering and I am not taking any chances with your health as bad as it is. You"ll stay in the infirmary until I say otherwise. Understood?"

Sheppard nodded. His head thumped with blood, as he cracked his neck.

"Here, Carson," said the doctor, shoving her snotty tissue into Carson's plastic gloved hands. "I'll take the Colonel back to his bed."

Sheppard grinned as Carson made a face. "Oh I…"

Then when Sheppard waved her off, she continued, "You need to get better, and you can only do that if you're resting in bed."

Finally resigning to getting up, he felt his arm being lifted over her shoulder. Slowly they made their way back to his bed, Rodney's face unreadable as he watched their progress. Once he had settled in, she tucked him in for good measure.

"Are you tucking me in?" said Sheppard, slightly amused.

"Yup," she said, avoiding his eyes.

Rodney shook his head. There was something very familiar about that voice…

"Well looks like you're all tucked in so I'll just be going," she said turning, her Atlantis jacket, whipping. But before she had even taken a step, she turned to face him once more. "Colonel?"

"Yes…"

"Thanks…by the way…well…ah…get better…"

"Don't worry about it," said Sheppard.

On her way out of the infirmary, she tossed over her shoulder, "You too, Rodney."

* * *

Teyla rubbed her neck, as she watched a woman with a baseball cap, walk past her. Entering the infirmary she noticed a smile gleaming on Rodney's face and Sheppard shaking his head.

Whatever had just transpired she was sure to find out.

"Teyla…" said Rodney, his face beaming.

"Hey Teyla…" said Sheppard.

"Did you see her?" quizzed Rodney, a grin spreading across his face.

"The woman…" Teyla said curious waving behind her.

"Yes that's the one," said Sheppard, "Rodney is just happy because she told him to get better."

Teyla smiled. "Yes indeed." Standing beside his bed, she smiled. "You both seem better."

"Well the doc says if we get even better within the next couple of days he will release us to our rooms."

"That's good."

Then Sheppard smirked, "No Rodney, actually I heard him saying something about releasing you today…"

"Really? When? What did he say?"

"Just kidding," said Sheppard, smirking some more.

"Gee Thanks. Jeez Sheppard, I know your bored but can't you find something better to do than to get my hopes up."

"No not re…"

Thinking carefully, Sheppard thought about his book. It would be nice to have a distraction like that. Looking up at Teyla, he had an idea. It was risky but better her than somebody else.

"So Teyla, since we're probably going to be stuck here for awhile I was wondering if you could possibly ah…" said Sheppard, leaning close to her ear, "Go pick up something in my room for me. It's my book…ah…I know it's…"

"You needn't say more," said Teyla, putting her hands up, smiling.

As she turned her head at Ronon's coughing, Sheppard added, "Um…Teyla…could this be…dis…"

"Discreet?" she said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah…"

"Hm?" said Rodney, looking at them both.

"Nothing Rodney."

"Of course," said Teyla, walking to Ronon's bed to check on him as he sat up.

"What was that all about?" questioned Rodney.

"Nothing okay."

"Really?"

"Okay if you must know she is just getting something for me."

"Ow really? Do you think she could…"

"No Rodney…I don't think so."

"But…"

"No," said Sheppard, smiling. He was going to finally get to finish up reading his book, of course that meant reading when Rodney and anybody wasn't awake but he didn't care, the infirmary was driving him slowly insane from boredom.

Grinning, he hunkered down on the bed, rubbing his hands together.

* * *

**A/N: **Nothing good can come from Sheppard, his book and the infirmary…


	17. The Threads

… **.LV. **…

**Part 17:**

**The Threads:**

**_Questionable Behavior_**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration**: Move Along by The All-American Rejects

* * *

"Dr. Weir?" snapped Carson, into his com.

"Yes Carson?"

"I need to speak with you," said Carson, eyeing the spectacle brewing in the infirmary.

Kavanagh had managed to make Rodney spitting mad and at the moment the two screamed at each from their own beds, fists raised, faces red with anger.

Carson had tried to get the situation under control but found himself only adding to the fray, and now his last choice was to get some assistance and fast. Even Sheppard had tried intervening but had started yelling at both of the scientists, soon ending with a coughing fit.

Carson worried that if the situation didn't get under control that the situation would escalate further or end up with one or both of them, under serious reprimand for disturbing the peace of the infirmary with their spat. Not to mention the fact that their blood pressures along with anybody else involved were probably sky rocketing. That was never a good combination, with their immune systems already weakened, Carson knew more stress was going to only make things worse for their health.

"What's wrong? Something tells me I'm not going to like this considering I can hear Rodney's voice in the background."

"Yes well…him and Kavanagh have gotten into a spat I need some assistance to calm them down," said Carson, watching as Rodney threw a snotty rag across the room. The rag dropped half way there and one of the nurses stepped on it, slipping to the floor.

"Oh my…. Now look what you've done Rodney," said Carson, running to help the nurse Alicia to her feet. Who rubbed her butt, while glowering at Rodney.

"Carson, I'm sending someone there immediately."

"Thank you, Elizabeth."

* * *

Dr. Weir tapped her com, "Sergeant Bates?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"I need you and two others to go lend Carson some assistance with two patients."

"Yes ma'am."

"And Sergeant?"

"Yes ma'am?" said Bates, eying his book, as one of the Athosians tackled a Marine to the padded floor nearby.

"Remember we don't need anymore people getting sick so wear a mask before going in and also anyone else who goes with you."

"Yes ma'am." said Bates, smiling at the Marine, as the Athosian, dug her heel into his back.

Turning back to his book in hand, he frowned he had almost gotten to the chapter's end. Replacing his bookmark, he tucked the book in his back pocket. No point in leaving it around for someone to find. Stalking out of the training room in which several men sparred, he radioed Jenkins and Tomson. This was going to be interesting.

"Ah ma'am?"

"Yes?"

"This wouldn't have to do with Dr. McKay and Dr. Kavanagh would it, ma'am?"

He had heard that Dr. Kavanagh and Dr. McKay were both in the infirmary and neither got along well.

"How'd you guess?"

"I heard the two were in the infirmary and it's no secret that either one don't like each other, ma'am," said Bates, resisting the smile, as Tomson sauntered up to the Athosian woman.

"Yes well, just be careful," said Dr. Weir, avoiding the yawn.

Bates nodded. "Will do, ma'am. Bates out."

Glaring at Tomson once, he motioned for the two to get masks from the alternative storage station. The last thing he needed was to get sick. He hated colds.

* * *

Dr. Weir rubbed her forehead and then looked down at the paperwork stacked still on her desk. After the funeral for Sargent McGuinely, she hadn't the heart to do much of anything. But now however, the stack loomed like a sore spot, before her and she knew it was time to dive into to it so to speak.

Pulling her chair back, she smoothed her hand over the book sitting on top of the stack of reports. It was a pale white and beige book with a red strip across the top of it with the words "The Last Word On". Pulling it down to read it better as she sat down. She removed the post it on its cover before reading it more thoroughly, "The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense by Suzette Haden Elgin"

Picking up the post it she read: Thought you might like this…Heightmeyer.

She smiled, as she tossed the post it into the wastepaper trash can nearby. Opening it, she began to read, page after page. Forgetting the reports on her desk.

…_ASL has two different ways to say "I love you," and that I wanted them to watch me show them both ways and tell me what the difference was. I would say, "Now pay __close attention__," and then sign "I love you" both ways…the women would see the difference immediately…the men reacted when I explained the difference…Every single one of them, with varying degrees of outrage claimed that I had "cheated", and I had "tricked" them…Frankel states that one of the rules for appropriate behavior when paying attention to a speaker is that you must focus your attention on the speaker's face._

_When I said, "Now pay __very close attention__," the men immediately applied Frankel's rule and fixed their attention on my face…None of them knew how to explain to me what the problems was, just as Frankal was unaware that his rule applied only for men, but they knew that they'd been tricked…When I stopped giving the instruction…the difference…disappeared; most men, and most women, saw the difference at once. _

"Dr. Weir?"

A gentle tapping on her office door, made her look up from the book. "Sidge?"

The woman smiled weakly, her eyes unreadable.

"Come in," said Elizabeth, flipping the book over while motioning to one of the chairs in front of her desk, "Please have a seat."

"Oh no…I couldn't…I just wanted to thank you for…everything…"

"It's no problem. I'm just sorry for you're…" she stopped as Sidge held up her hand.

"There's no need…" her head lowered.

"I just wish there was something more that could have been done…"

"Me too," said Sidge, her voice a low whisper.

"How you holding up?" said Dr. Weir, leaning forward, her weight on her elbows.

"Um…it's…been…well…I'm holding up…been seeing Dr. Heightmeyer," said Sidge, putting her hands into her pockets.

Elizabeth nodded.

"Ahhh…she says that…as long as I keep myself busy and attend her weekly sessions that in time I will heal…"

"If there's anything you need?"

"No, I… think I've got it under control…ah but thanks." As she backed away towards the door, her brunette hair shining underneath the cool Atlantean lights, she looked down once.

"Ah…please tell Carson…I'm sorry…"

"You needn't worry, Carson doesn't hold grudges," said Dr. Weir, looking up into the solid, inky black eyes as they took on a slightly dark gray color.

Those eyes…always changing just like her… Thought Elizabeth.

"Well thanks…I hope so…"

And then like a rainbow after a rainstorm, there it was a slight smile.

"I know so," said Elizabeth, giving her own smile.

* * *

**A/N: **More to follow on what happened in the infirmary.


	18. The Needles

… **.LV. **…

**Part 18:**

**The Needles:**

_**Questionable Reading Materials**_

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration**: Move Along by The All-American Rejects

* * *

_Previously…_

Later on in the evening, the Athosian returned. Sheppard grinned as he saw the stack of books in her hand. Then felt his grin fade as Rodney tiffed from his bed.

"What?"

"Nothing," said Rodney, his hands over his eyes.

Sheppard frowned, seeing a pinkish hued book in Teyla's stack.

He could only guess…

Sheppard shook his head, how and why were just one of the many questions running through his head. As he sat up, Rodney rubbed his hands together, seeing Teyla handing books out to several other occupants in the infirmary.

"Ah books…she brought it."

Sheppard looked at Rodney. "Okay so what did you do to convince her to bring something down for you? I don't seem to remember you asking Teyla for anything…"

He tried to sound non-chalant about it but Rodney had seen through the act for it what it really was.

"And I seem to remember…huh…oh right…I forgot to ask…"

As Teyla sat a book on Ronon's bedside table, she lifted a thick paperback book, walked across the room and handed it to Sheppard, who hide it under his blankets immediately.

"Thank you Teyla."

"So afraid someone might steal your romance novel Sheppard?" drawled Rodney, a malicious glint in his eyes.

Teyla grinned as she passed a few more books out.

"No actually, I'm not afraid of someone but who…meaning you! Remember we have a deal Rodney…I could reveal your little secret and then…"

Rodney shook his head, and put up his right hand, "Alright, alright. I get it okay. No need to get snappy."

As Teyla watched the two's exchange she sat a book down on Rodney's bedside table.

Immediately Sheppard's eyebrows raised. "Rodney…ah…isn't that…"

"Ah…wait Teyla I didn't…"

"Dr. McGuinley said that you had left the book in your lab and she said to give it to you."

"Oh?" replied Rodney, grabbing the cloud covered book from the stand and hastily and shoving it under his own covers.

"Look whose talking Rodney…look whose talking…" said Sheppard, with his own malicious glint. Rubbing his right hand over the book under his blankets, Sheppard smiled. He was going to finally get something done. It was about time. He had to know what was going on with Phedre and Josceline.

"Oh shut up!"

"You know what?"

"What?" mocked Rodney.

"I wonder if sagefan knows about that book?"

"WHAT?!" screamed Rodney, his eyes bugging out. "You don't even know who she is so you can't tell her and that would just be…I swear if you do that Sheppard, you are…"

"I'm what huh?" said Sheppard, grinning.

Teyla shook her head as she pulled over a chair. She knew the only reason the two were bickering was because they were bored. She had hoped brining them something to read would help ease it. Carson appeared to have lost his patience with the two equally. Across the way, Ronon cleared his throat.

"What?!" shouted Rodney and Sheppard together.

Ronon put his index finger over his mouth in a shuush gesture. "I'm trying to read."

Sheppard felt his anger flee and a smile come on as he read the cover. "The Path That Is Never Clear, Part 2" by Jane S.T. Andrews Farwry.

"I thought you didn't like the author?" said Sheppard, ignoring Rodney's pout.

"I changed my mind and besides I never said I didn't like the author just the first book," said Ronon, giving a slight smirk as he opened it and began to read.

Teyla smiled. "He appears content."

"You can say that again," said Sheppard, sliding the covers back, while positioning his book on his lap so that only he could read it and no one could read the cover.

"Oh real mature," griped Rodney, his hands clutching his book under the covers.

"Oh and that is?" said Sheppard nodding towards Rodney's obvious book beneath the covers.

Rodney glared at him. "Yeah well…touché."

As Teyla, passed him, he crossed his arms. "Teyla?"

"Yes?"

"Did this Dr. McGuinley have a first name?"

Teyla crinkled her eyebrows. "I did not check." After settling her own book on the chair, she turned and walked to the far back, to give the last book, the pink hued one, to someone behind a curtain.

A few muddled, grouchy words later, she returned, the curtain opening just enough to reveal a disheveled man.

Sheppard and Rodney both stared, mouths open. It was Kavanagh. That was when the man sat up, a red creeping up his neck as his startled eyes saw them looking at him.

That was when things…had gone down hill.

Within a few moments after he had hid the book under his own covers, the curtain hooked itself to allow any onlooker a small peek at him, Rodney had bust out laughing. Complete utter, hysteria. Sheppard too.

As Teyla neared her chair, she gave the two a look. From the doorway, one of her people beckoned for her to come. Teyla nodded, picking up her book. Dipping her head once at Ronon, who looked up once and shook his head only to return to reading his book, she walked towards the exit.

As she left the infirmary, she heard shouting and sighed, if there was one thing she could say, it was never a dull day when Sheppard and Rodney were around.

* * *

_And now…_

Bates stormed in, Tomson and Jenkins at his side, white face masks on all three of them.

"Dr. McKay? Colonel Sheppard?"

Sheppard shouted, "Kavanagh you've taken this too far. Rodney stop it now. You're going to make your self sicker."

"Shut up Sheppard. I can handle my own battles. Now you listen here…"

"YOU KNOW WHAT MCKAY, I'M GOING TO SEE TO IT PERSONALLY THAT YOU ARE REPRIMANDED FOR TREATING ME WITH SUCH DISRESPECT. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT…"

"AND YOU DO?" screamed Rodney, his voice, hitting a high pitch.

The argument had escalated to the point where, other patients were covering their ears or covering their heads with pillows. Some watched on with their mouths open. While a few goaded the two on. Rooting for Dr. McKay.

"Gentlemen!" snapped Carson, his voice adding to the fray, as he looked at both of the men, his expression stern.

Then when both continued their yelling he looked at Bates and sighed.

The Sargent knew what to do. Sending Jenkins over with Tomson, the two stood in front of Kavanagh, both speaking to him quietly.

"Why didn't you sedate them?" demanded Bates, standing beside Rodney who, looked once at him and then hung his head.

"Because I couldn't risk it. Rodney already has pain medication in his system. The combination with the sedative could be dangerous if not potentially hazardous to his health," said Carson.

"How about Dr. Kavanagh?" said Bates, nodding towards the curtained area.

"Yes well…"

"Do it now and I'm not asking Doctor."

Sheppard stared at Bates, and then turned to Rodney who had his hands pressed to his forehead. "You alright Rodney?"

"No…I have a headache…"

"Me too…"

Bates turned to glare at them both. "Sir! Dr. Weir told me to relay a message to you and Dr. McKay."

The two looked at each other. They didn't like where this was going.

"She says that the next time another disruption of this nature happens, she herself will come down here personally to address it," said Bates, trying to hide the smile tugging at his lips.

Sheppard stared. Rodney grumbled. And Carson returned a look of relief on his face.

"It's done."

"Thank you…is that my book?"

Bates looked down, at his book, and swiped it up from the floor. "Um…what…" said Bates, quickly putting it in his back pocket. With that Bates motioned for Tomson and Jenkins to leave. It was only when they had exited the infirmary, had he heard Carson say out loud, "So he was the one…"

* * *

**A/N:** Hold your breaths, in two more chapters something is revealed…


	19. A Hidden Clue in Plain Sight

**A/N:** Rodney discovers something by accident while sniffing his nose where it doesn't belong.

* * *

… **.LV. **…

**Part 19:**

**A Hidden Clue in Plain Sight**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration: **Night Bird by Deep Forest

* * *

Sheppard scratched his nose, as the sound of a rendition of snores stirred the quiet infirmary. He hated this. Why couldn't Carson let him sleep in his own room. Why did he have to stay in the infirmary? Well one thing he could count on was having the luxury to read his book without too much of a problem of spying eyes.

As he edged up into a sitting position he casually slid the book from under the blankets. Careful not to light up the whole infirmary, Sheppard had the lights over his bed come on so that there was just enough for him to read without disturbing any of the other patients.

Opening the book he flipped through to the page he had reluctantly been unable to read due to the whole argument and shouting earlier. Grinning to himself, Sheppard rolled his shoulders. Then after yawning and using his left fist to cover it, he read onward.

_A hundred needles pierced my skin, bearing pigment to limn it indelibly. I closed my eyes, awash in pleasure at the exquisite pain of it. And no matter what else happened, this much I was granted. My marque would be made. No matter that I ventured forth into certain danger; I would do it as that which I had claimed to Waldemar Selig: a Free D'Angeline_

…"_In Elua's City, you could not dictate such terms, auguissette. Why should I not seek you there? I have coin." "I own my marque and I dictate the terms I choose," I said evenly. "I have named my price. From you, I will accept no other."_

…_I went to him unhesitatingly. He drew me against him, his lean body clad in black velvet doublet and breeches, with the de Morhban crest on his shoulder. I felt the tide of desire loose in my marrow, as one hand clasped hard on my buttocks, pressing me to him, and the other grasped the nape of my neck, entangled in the mesh caul, drawing my head back. He kissed me, then, hard and ruthlessly…_

Sheppard felt the heat rise between his legs, as he sneezed again. Now was neither the time nor the place for this but here he was feeling the urges and he wasn't really in any position to do anything about it. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck and he knew it wasn't from the fever or the temperature of the room.

His hand slid down. Stop it. Stop it. No Sheppard. Bad Sheppard. God I want to f… Thought Sheppard. Anything…no uh not anything. I need to…wait the restroom…

On that note, Sheppard slid off the bed and made a dash for the restroom. As soon as the door had slid closed behind him, he began pulling the hospital scrub pants down. Finally, he reached and quickly felt himself release, using toilet paper to catch the mess. Pulling his pants back up, he reached for the door handle and then felt his stomach making strange leaps. That was funny. He hadn't had a problem earlier.

Sheppard backed up to the toilet. If his food did decide to make a sudden appearance he would at least have a place for it to go. As he felt his stomach do a couple of leaps it was then that little tickle at the other end that caught him off-guard. Sheppard moaned, as he quickly sat down on the toilet. This was going to be one nasty 'session'.

* * *

Rodney awoke to the sound of loud panting nearby…as soon as he had sat up though, the panting had ceased. As he cleared his eyes he glimpsed Sheppard's fading back going to the restroom. Rodney frowned, whatever the reason he was positive he didn't want to know.

Then something struck him, if Sheppard was in the restroom, then that meant his book was hopefully left alone. Rodney grinned this was just too good to be true. As carefully as he could, Rodney slid out of bed, minding his foot, and hoped to Sheppard's bed. As he slid the covers back, he saw it the book sitting there.

With a few glances at the restroom, Rodney quickly sat on the edge of his friend's bed and took a closer look at the book. In his hurry to read it he dropped it and it's bookmark on the floor. Cursing himself silently, he used the bed as leverage to bend down and pick it up.

Once the book was back in his hands and he had again sat down, he took notice of something scrawled on the back of the book. Out of curiosity Rodney, opened the back page to read. On it's worn inside back page, in a hastily written red ink was a message.

_To the holder of the book: This was one of my favorite books, I hope if you're reading this that you are enjoying it. I know I did. P.S. If you want to read books two and three simply drop by the science lab under Dr. McKay and Dr. Zelenka and ask for Sidge. _

Not realizing he had been holding his breath he let it out. Sidge, Rodney grinned. So he had more than enough evidence to find this Sidge, he was just surprised this was her book. Flipping to the front cover, he read "Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey". Then glancing to the restroom, he decided why not read a couple of pages.

There was only one way he could ever hope to gain this Sidge's trust and make her come out of the shy shell, and that was by learning about her and finding out what she's like. One of which was by knowing her interests. So if this was her favorite book, then he was going to take some time to investigate further.

Reading into the first few pages. He found while interesting it wasn't really his type of book, but as he progressed to the later chapters that contained some of the more involved scenes he found he couldn't put the book down. No wonder Sheppard had been so glued to the book. It had plenty of action and by action he was talking all types.

It was then that he heard something 'eheming' from behind him. Slowly closing the book, Rodney turned only to be staring into Sheppard's raised eyebrow and angry expression.

"Sheppard?"

He looked worse for wear, his face was a tad too pale and he was walking strangely as if something had injured his bottom. Rodney suppressed the urge to inquire as Sheppard's angry eyes slid down to the book in his hand.

"Rodney what are you doing with my book and what are you doing on my bed? I thought we discussed this. You don't tell anyone about the book and I don't' tell about your diary thing."

"I was just curious…and by the way…this book is really…ah…"

Sheppard grinned. "Graphic? Erotic? Give me that!" grouched Sheppard, yanking the book out of Rodney's hands. "You can't read it till I'm finished."

Rodney shook his head. "Okay fine whatever. By the way sagefan use to own that book."

As Sheppard glared at Rodney, who promptly jumped off the bed and then collapsed as pain coursed through him, Sheppard flipped open the book.

"What do you mean? Rodney…"

Rushing around the bed, he helped Rodney to his bed, whose face was scrunched up in pain. As he wailed silently, Sheppard looked at Rodney's foot.

"It's okay. It doesn't appear to have started bleeding again. Rodney I'm going to get Dr. Beckett okay. And this time stay in bed!" said Sheppard turning to get the doctor.

"Sheppard wait…" said Rodney through his gasps.

"What?"

"Read the back of your book, there is a message there for you. Would you do me a favor and ask for the books?" said Rodney, grinning slightly as he shut his eyes.

"Right right. I'll be back."

Racing to Beckett's bed in the back of his office, he was pleased to see the good doctor getting some shut eye. Careful not to stumble over the boxes nearby, he carefully tapped Carson's shoulder.

"Beckett?"

_Mumble Mumble_

"What? Beckett wake up, Rodney needs some pain medicine."

_Mumble Mumble_

"Beckett," said Sheppard, this time shaking Carson a little more firmly.

_"Oh...yes please fellati_…Sheppard?" garbled Beckett, his eyes blinking.

Sheppard stared, trying not to let his jaw drop. "Yeah yeah…ah…Rodney needs something for his foot."

Carson promptly got up; searching for the medicine and rubbed his eyes. "Sheppard? What are you doing out of bed, back to it then." He said as he followed the Colonel back to where Rodney laid, his face twisted in pain.

"Rodney what did you do now?"

"I was…"

"Never mind," said Carson, as he administered the medicine to Rodney's arm. "There that should do it. Now Rodney if you feel anything at all, you let one of the nurses know."

Rodney nodded his head. Sheppard grinned as he got back into bed and grabbed his book.

"Sheppard? Read the back. Remember."

"I got it Rodney, now get some sleep."

Sheppard pulled the sheets over himself as he flipped to the back of the book. The first thing he noticed was the name...Sidge. He felt a smile tug at his lips. This was getting interesting. Tomorrow he decided was the day, he was going to find out who this Sidge woman was no matter infirmary grounded or not.

Over in the bed next to him, as the Colonel felt his eyes drooping, Rodney smiled. He was going to find out who Sidge was and Sheppard was going to do it for him. Okay so a little help wasn't so bad.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay so Sheppard going to met Sidge? Or is Beckett going to stop him from finding out.


	20. Sidge

**A/N: **Twist of events...

* * *

… **.LV. **…

**Part 20:**

**Sidge**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

_

**Song Inspiration: **_The fan?_  
_

* * *

_Sheppard had been released from the infirmary finally while Rodney hadn't been allowed to leave. Honestly, spending four or five days in the infirmary with Rodney and the other occupants was more than enough for him.

He dressed back in his sweatpants once he was in his room and began straightening up the place. He'd kind of messed it up and he hadn't time to clean. It was then that he had found the rosy sheet of paper just underneath his bed. As he sat down and read the message he shook his head.

_From Jared to Sydney D. May our new jobs fair well._

Sheppard shook his head. So Sydney D. McGuinley aka Sidge aka sagefan. Now he had a name. As for a face he was pretty certain of who it was now. All he had to do was look up the files on the Marine because he was pretty sure that was her brother. She had been the one in Beckett's office. Plus the note didn't get any more obvious than that.

Sheppard finished putting his bed back together before he took a seat at his desk and turned on his laptop. First he was going to confirm the obvious than he was going to take a little trip down to the science division on the premise to get the other books in the series.

As he looked through the reports he pulled up Jared's file and scanned through it. It listed a Sydney D. McGuinley. Well that was all the proof he had for now but it was pretty dam good if he was not mistaken.

Sheppard picked up his book and the note leaving his room to head to the science division, finally ending the conspiracy once and for all.

* * *

Rodney stared up at the ceiling in the infirmary, it had grown a lot less entertaining when Sheppard had been released. He couldn't wait to go back to his room because he would be spending as much time as possible away from the infirmary from then on. Despite the daily checkups by Carson, he was just glad to be away from Kavanagh, who had been released as well. Rodney stretched, careful of his foot. He wanted to read some more of the diary but at the same time he knew he should return it.

But…he just couldn't. Who was sagefan or Sidge? Why wouldn't she just come out with it? Rodney figured she must feel imitated by his Genius. Yeah…that was it. He was so charming and dashing that she was just too shy.

Rodney shook his head. That's it. He had to find a different way of approaching the situation. With or without Sheppard's help. True Sheppard had been slightly helpful but Rodney knew he could solve this one on his own. He just knew it.

Jeez. Just thinking about a woman he had never met before sent fire down his spine. All he wanted was to know her name or at most see what she looked like. He had a blurry impression of her face and he couldn't remember anything else. Rodney shifted his back against the sheets. It felt good to be in bed for once without all the screaming or Carson's ill-tempered attitude. Of course Carson wouldn't have got that way if it hadn't of been for him and Kavanagh and Sheppard.

Rodney closed his eyes. No more thinking time for sleep. He needed sleep. He hadn't gotten much in the infirmary with all that had happened thus far. That was partly the reason why Carson had released Sheppard from the infirmary and Kavanagh. By confining them he wasn't stopping the virus anyways so he gave up trying.

When sleep evaded him again, Rodney opened his eyes and pulled up the astrophysics book. Just as he opened it he noticed two people approaching from the corner of his eye.

Carson approached a clipboard in hand and a nurse trailing behind with crutches. "Carson?"

Carson smiled. "Okay Rodney you can go."

"Really? I'm free?"

Carson shook his head. "This is not a prison Rodney but yes your released but your on restriction. No off-world duty yet. I want you to stay off your foot and your to visit the infirmary at least once a day so I can check the wound. No exceptions."

Rodney smiled and slowly got out of bed. "Oh thank you thank you thank you!"

Carson held up his hand slightly. "But! If I even suspect your disobeying doctor's orders. I'll haul you back to the infirmary myself."

Rodney nodded and took the crutches handed to him by the nurse. One thing Rodney did find amusing was the look on Ronon's face as he had clomped out of the infirmary on his new crutches while Ronon was forced to stay. He had found that extremely amusing. Thankfully despite the once a day thing he could finally occupy his time constructively.

The sound of metal against the floor could be heard down the silent hall, along with the grunting. Rodney hated crutches…plain and simple. The way they rubbed under your arms. The way they chaffed the skin and the dorky look of them but it beat dealing with the infirmary.

Something struck him and he changed his direction. He hadn't seen Heightmeyer in a while. In fact he was a little over due so he made his way down there, the journal then the cloud book covering it.

As he approached he saw a woman talking with Heightmeyer.

"Alright Sydney see you next week and remember if you need anything or you want to just chat my doors are always open," said Dr. Heightmeyer.

"Thank you." The woman turned and smiled briefly at him before jogging to the transporter nearby.

"Hello Rodney."

He stood there with the books, his mouth open and his finger pointing to the transporter. "Who was that?"

Dr. Heightmeyer smiled. "I can't break patient confidentiality Rodney, come in."

Conspiracy...? Yeah he had to admit it was beginning to feel like one.

* * *

Sheppard entered the lab and strolled to the first person he saw…Dr. Reeds. "I'm looking for Sydney. You wouldn't know where she is by any chance?"

Dr. Reeds froze. "Ah…she's..."

"Hi, My name is Dr. Sydney Dierdre McGuinley," said a voice, startlingly musical from somewhere behind him.

Dr. Reeds rolled her eyes. "Ah yes the protocol maiden, returns to us intact I see, so you surprise me Sidge I didn't think you would actually say hello there for a minute."

As he turned, a beautiful woman stood before him. A petite 120 pounds, her diamond shaped face was a soft ivory white, tanned slightly brown. Her eyes was what caught him, eyes that seemed to shift in the light and no matter how many times he tried he couldn't tell if they were a deep, forest olive green, an inky black, a slightly golden tinted gray or even a touch of dark, green-blue. Her hair was a soft short amber red-brunette with a touch of hazel shifting in and out in highlights and had a combination of curls and spikes.

"So I presume you must be sagefan?" asked Sheppard, once the shock had worn off.

"Yes…I didn't know you knew that and you are…Lt. Colonel…"

"John Sheppard," said Sheppard, extending his hand a little too fast at the woman.

Shyly, she extended her hand and shook it, her smile creeping into a huge grin.

"Ah…that's quite a name you got there."

"Yes my parents loved exotic names so I ended up with a combination."

"So mind telling me about your book?" Sheppard said.

Sydney shook her head puzzled. "My journal?"

Sheppard showed her his book and she smiled. "So you're the one reading it. Have you finished it?"

He shook his head. "Not yet but I was hoping for the other books."

"Oh!" She smiled. "Just for the record…ah there's like two more than it goes to another series but it's all set in the same world."

"Oh okay."

"Do you mind if I take a break Meliss?" She asked turning to her colleague.

Melissa looked down at some paperwork. "Yeah whatever but you had better tell him now Sidge. I mean it…you've already got enough to deal with and…I just think if you break it to him then maybe it won't hurt _him_ as much."

Sheppard looked between the women, confused. "Hurt who much?"

Sydney frowned. "Maybe we had better discuss this back in my quarters and plus I can get you those books."

"Alright."

As they made their way there, Sheppard couldn't help thinking this might have all been a joke. A really sick joke. Rodney already had an injured foot and a cold, he really didn't need to be told that it had all been a joke at his expense.

"So…mind telling me why you didn't want to reveal yourself sooner?"

She cringed. "In my room. I don't want him to hear us."

"Okay…"

When they finally entered her room, he watched her go to her bedside table and rummage around. Her room was very generic with very little feminine products scattered about or clothing. There were two photographs on her desk, one of her brother and of an older woman but other than that he really didn't see anything that made this room homey.

"Okay let's cut the crap. Was this just all a hoax. Some big elaborate joke that got me and Rodney going?"

Sidge looked up briefly frowning. "No…honestly…I would never do that…its just he took it the wrong way…I mean…okay…here is book 2 and three before we get to far into this conversation."

She pulled them out and handed them to him. Sheppard took them and stared at her with a stern expression. "Get what wrong?"

"Okay take a seat…I'll be frank."

"No thanks I'll stand."

"I did mean what I said in the diary its just…I'm over that now…I don't feel like that for him anymore…I grew out of needing my diary and I realized he's just not the kind of guy I'd really date. It was a fantasy thing I was living out in the diary. Its just something I do…I'm a writer…and I guess as weird as it sounds I was daydreaming an alternate life or something."

"So you have no feelings for Rodney whatsoever?"

Sydney crossed her arms. "I never said that. I just don't think I'd ever date him. Despite what I may have said in the diary in the beginning if you guys had bothered to get to the later entries I make it clear that it was just a silly crush thing and that I wouldn't date him because he just isn't the kind of guy I want to go out with."

"So why did you let this charade go on if that was the truth?"

"Because I was embarrassed. I really did by accident leave my diary in the pile of books and then…I wasn't sure if I should play along... Which is why Meliss and Monie think I like him and some other people but honestly I never meant for this to happen. I guess I was just hoping he'd let it go."

Sheppard shook his head. "He'll be crushed."

"I know that's why I've been trying my hardest to stay away but I do care enough to want to be a friend that's why despite my brother's death I was there for him when he had that fever thing and what not. I'm really sorry if I deceived you or him and I want you to know it was all a freak accident. It really was."

Sheppard sighed. "So are you going to face him, tell him it's you and explain what you just told me to him?"

Sidge sat down on her bed. "I was hoping you could be the one to break the news to him."

"Nope."

"John," she said with sass, getting up to stand in front of him. "I didn't finish telling you everything. The reason Meliss said him and then _him. _Is she meant telling you as well about the truth."

A little uncomfortable that she had used his first name he replied, "And that is?"

She looked down shyly. "That I like you. Its really hard for me to admit it because you seem so untouchable but here we are. I'm sorry you had to hear all this, in this way. And I hope that despite what might have occurred you would consider going on a date with me later."

Sheppard closed his eyes then opened them. "I'll think about it. For now break the news to Rodney and no more diary misplacement. Got it?"

Sydney bobbed her head. "Oh okay," she said quietly.

But before he left something struck him and he reached out to place one hand on either side of her shoulder, staring into her eyes. "And I am sorry about your brother. I didn't know him as well as some of the others but he was a good man."

"Thanks…"

He left before she could say anything more and made his way down to the infirmary. He was going to get that diary and open it to the pages she had said. Maybe somehow when she broke the news it wouldn't hurt his friend's already fragile ego.

* * *

Rodney grounded his teeth. "I know that but…"

Kate shook her head. "If she really wanted to tell you her feelings she would have approached you somehow and explained."

"Yeah but maybe she's shy. I mean her diary says it all."

"It also doesn't help your case to keep her diary correct?"

Rodney glared. "Okay I get it…but look I mean its obvious she likes me."

"Honesty is the best policy Rodney. Do you really want to find her when she hasn't been truthful with you from the start nor have you been either."

"I know but what should I do now?"

"Well you can give me the diary and I can return it to its proper owner or you can find her and speak to her yourself."

"I'm just…"

"Afraid?"

"Yeah…I mean what if this is just a joke after all…just another 'lets get back at Dr. McKay for being smarter than us' thing."

"And why would you think that?"

"Because…its happened before. I just don't think I can handle rejection right now."

"Then I'll make this simple…you can give me the diary and go on your way. If she really wants to have a relationship she'll come to you and if she doesn't well it's obvious isn't it?"

Rodney nodded flipping the diary in his hand. "I know," he said looking down.

Something big and black caught his eye. "Wait a minute…"

He opened the page to find an entry and it had been covered over by black marker but he could still catch a word or two. He knew that code…

"I need to speak to Colonel Sheppard right away." Rodney said looking up.

"Why what is it?"

He showed her the page and explained. "We have a spy on Atlantis and I think its Sidge. That's either some random numbers or its a code."

Dr. Heightmeyer tapped her com.

* * *

The first thing anyone did was notify Dr. Weir and then they located Sydney and detained her in the medical cell. Sheppard, Rodney and Elizabeth were all present as Carson explained to them that her brother hadn't died of the flu, he'd been murdered by some kind of toxin in the bloodstream that caused a toxic tumor to form in the lungs.

"Its like nothing I have ever seen before."

"Why didn't the scans pick it up in the first place?" Elizabeth asked crossing her arms.

"Because it did but it was masquerading as dark spots on the scanner so I didn't think to check it out further."

"So what made you change your mind?" Rodney said, still shocked.

He picked up a vial of black fluid, "I found this sitting on the floor where the Corporal had been staying in the infirmary. It got me curious so I tested and when I discovered it was a toxin I asked Stargate command to scan his body even though its been a few days and the private burial isn't until next week."

Sheppard tapped his com. "Sgt. Bates?"

"Yes sir?"

"While your security team is checking her room, tell them to keep an eye out for a black vial or anything similar."

"Yes sir."

Elizabeth crossed her arms. "Alright keep me posted on the progress the security team is making."

Sheppard nodded. "I think it's time we had a chat with Sydney if that is her real name."

They made their way down to the room and stopped at the top overlooking the room. "Well she doesn't look dangerous," Elizabeth said. "I had no idea…"

"Neither did I," said Rodney, crossing his arms, frowning.

Sheppard patted Rodney's shoulder. "You okay buddy?'

"Yeah never better."

Sheppard traded glances with Elizabeth. "I'll interrogate her."

He made his way down to the door and entered. "Sidge…Sydney…whatever your name is."

Tears streamed down her face. "I swear its not me!"

Sheppard picked up the diary and showed her the page. "Is this yours?'

Sidge explained. "It's my diary obviously but that is not my writing nor do I remember ever seeing that in it."

He snorted. "Come on…your cover is blown…who are you working for? The trust? The Wraith? Someone else?"

Sydney shook her head, "I swear it's not me."

* * *


	21. Trusty Diversion

**A/N**: Alright folks this is the end. I'm working my way through my fics one by one. I hope the ending is sufficient. I may come back with a sequel later on but for now this is it. I hope you enjoyed the story and I do hope you'll review me.

* * *

… **.LV. **…

**Part 21:**

**Trusty Diversion**

By _Lady Valmar

* * *

  
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**Song Inspiration: **_more fan noise?

* * *

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Rodney looked on completely shocked still, leaning on his crutches. "Have they found anything yet?"

Elizabeth tapped her com. "Sgt. Bates has anything been found yet?"

------

One of the security team members pulled out a zip lock bag underneath Sydney's mattress. "I think we found something. Sir?"

Bates moved forward to take the ziplock. "Yes ma'am. We found a ziplock containing four more of those black vials you said to keep an eye out for."

--------

Elizabeth nodded to Rodney, "Anything else?"

"No ma'am but if we find it you'll be the first to know."

Elizabeth looked over at Rodney, "Well it confirms your suspicions Rodney."

Rodney adjusted one of the crutches. "I know…I wish it wasn't though."

They both turned back to look down at Sydney who was still talking with Sheppard.

-------------

"I told you I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sgt. Bates just found four more of the vials in a ziplock in your room. Mind telling me where you got them from?" Sheppard said leaning forward.

"I don't know…" Sydney cried out. "I don't know about any vials…I wouldn't kill my brother…I loved him. Why would I do that?"

Sheppard opened a file in front of him that had been brought in earlier. "It says here that your brother had your father committed to a retirement home for beating up your mother. Could it have been revenge for having your father sent away?"

Sydney rubbed her eyes, sniffing before looking up shocked. "No wha…my father was beating my mother because of Dementia…he wasn't in his right mind. My brother did what was best for our family. Otherwise my father might have killed my mother…I don't hold that against him. You think I would kill him for that??? I was relieved when my father finally got the help he needed not upset with anyone except the disease."

"That still doesn't clear you Sydney. We found black vials in your room containing a toxin that causes tumors to form in the lungs killing a person. The same black vial that was used on your brother. Why would you have it, if you weren't working for some other agency or faction? We found that code in your diary…" Sheppard pointed at the page. "Start talking."

She shook her head slowly then frantically. "I don't know what you're talking about! Black vials. What vials???"

Sheppard tapped his com, "Bates."

"Yes sir?"

"Bring one of those vials down here."

They waited until it arrived. Sheppard brought the vial before Sydney and showed it to her. "This is what was found underneath your mattress. Mind telling me now who you're working for?"

She looked at the vial closely before slowly taking a breath. She spoke slowly. "That's…Meliss…she…she…showed them to me awhile back…I thought it was weird. She just told me it was…a new type of medicine…but she never gave them to me…I…thought it was weird at the time but…"

Sheppard tapped his com. "Sgt. Bates?"

"Yes sir?"

"Get three teams and find Dr. Reeds."

He looked up to Elizabeth and Rodney.

* * *

Sheppard and Teyla searched the science labs but she was nowhere to be found. After asking around they discovered she had left with Dr. Zelenka for a lunch date.

"Do you think she will harm Radek?" Teyla asked, walking alongside Sheppard with a stunner.

Sheppard took a peek down another hallway but found nothing, "I don't know. I think she's been getting information. I'm pretty sure Sidge's brother somehow found out about it and that's why she killed him. All this time…"

They turned down another corridor and heard voices. _"Too bad Radek…"_

"_But Melissa I thought we were doing so well."_

"_We were but my tastes have changed. Now…let's talk about something else for a moment."_

"_But…what are you doing…"_

"_Give me the codes to the gate…"_

"_But Melissa…why…"_

"_Because you were easy and I couldn't go after McKay...the codes…"_

"_You are despicable."_

"_I know…codes? Or I'll start shooting off one limb at a time until when they find you your nothing but a lump of flesh and blood."_

"_Wait…please…I don't have them on me…I'll have to go to the lab for that and…"_

"_Enough…why I wasted my time fucking with you just so I could…"_

Sheppard and Teyla entered the room leveling their stunners with her. "Drop the gun."

"Colonel what a nice surprise. Stunners? You silly poor things you don't know do you?"

Sheppard shook his head. "Know what?"

"Drop the gun!"

He felt the butt of cold metal on the back of his neck.

Melissa laughed. "That I never work alone. Good job Monie just on time."

"Drop the weapon or I shoot," said Monie behind Sheppard.

"Perfect," said Sheppard glaring at Melissa.

"Okay okay I'm putting down the gun." Slowly both him and Teyla lowered their guns.

"Now if you can't help me then…"Melissa turned her head to Sheppard. "What are the IDC codes for the gateroom?"

"Don't you have access to that information already?"

Melissa cracked her neck. "No…McKay didn't trust I, we, were able to go off world and so thus a lot of information was unavailable to me and Monie."

"IDC?" Monie said.

Sheppard blinked and laughed lightly. "I'm not going to tell you that."

Monie shoved her gun into his head harder. "Then I guess you aren't that smart after all Colonel."

Melissa smirked and cocked her gun. "And you don't mind if I kill Radek then?"

* * *

Sheppard traded looks with Radek. "You know I can't give you that."

"What I know is…" said Monie behind him, pulling her body against his back, "That if you don't give my associate that code _sugar_ you're going to watch as I blow off your team mates head and my associate does the same to Radek. So be a darling and give it to us."

Sheppard grounded his teeth slightly and looked to Teyla. "Teyla…"

Before Monie or Melissa could react, Teyla lunged forward and made a kick, knocking the gun out of Melissa's hand. Sheppard at the same time jerked backward and grabbed Monie's hands jerking to get the gun.

Teyla grabbed her stunner and knocked Melissa out quickly before turning to see what had happened with Sheppard.

"Uh uh uh…" Monie grinned. "Nice try Teyla…she was expendable anyways…go ahead stun me but I'll shoot Sheppard right in the head before you can."

"Now we're going to make it out of here and I'm not going to be stopped. If any of you tries anything I'll shoot and trust me I don't miss."

Monie waved with one hand to get Sheppard to come closer. She grabbed him, his back against her chest and put her gun to his temple. "Now goodbye all."

Slowly they backed up out of the room and down the hallway. "Teyla just shoot!"

Teyla held her stunner but refused to shoot.

* * *

As Monie dragged him into the jumper, Sheppard tried to think on what he could do. Suddenly she shoved him off her and continued to aim her gun at him. "Nice try John…I'm sure my little plan could have gone smoother but thanks to you I'm going to make a nice escape. I'm sure the trust will appreciate everything I've done to get this information."

"What did they offer you?" Sheppard asked.

"Oh money the usual," Monie said grinning. "Now move over here and get in the chair and don't try anything."

Slowly, Sheppard walked up to the front of the jumper and sat down on the chair. "Where are we going?"

"You don't need to know all you do is fly. I'll guide."

Slowly she turned her back and punched the rear hatch button. "Right…"

Sheppard jumped as he heard metal meet bone and something heavy hit the floor of the jumper. As he turned around Rodney was struggling to stand with one crutch the other in his hand touching the floor.

"McKay here to save the day," Rodney said, cheekily.

Sheppard slowly stood up. "How did you…?"

Rodney smirked. "It was all Sidge's idea; we just used some of her makeup powder and seemed to do the trick. Of course I wasn't sure if you guys were headed here or to the gateroom."

"So what? You decided to head down here like Conan the Barbarian?"

Rodney shook his head. "No…Ronon is with me but he collapsed so I called the infirmary before I approached."

Sheppard looked at Rodney disbelievingly. "Right…Tiny Tim and Sneezy decide to come to my rescue."

"Well don't be thankful now."

"Okay I won't then."

"Very funny."

"McKay do me a favor."

"Yea?"

"Next time you decide to take on the part of Conan make sure your not injured and make sure you take healthy people with you not Ronon who can barely stand up."

"You're just jealous that I saved your ass."

Sheppard rolled his eyes as he grabbed for a nylon rope to tie Monie's hands with. "Jealous?"

"Yea and because Sidge likes me."

He decided better to keep his mouth shut then ruin Rodney's parade.

* * *

Sheppard settled down in his bed with his book. It had been a difficult week and he was finally relieved to hear it was over, the whole sagefan thing. It had become so ridiculous he would not have believed it were it not that he'd experienced it himself.

He stretched and took a sip of his soda before delving back into his book. At least he could finally get back to it. It would be at least three more days before Ronon would be well enough for a mission and a week more for Rodney but Elizabeth had cleared his team to go out with Dr. McGuinley. She wasn't on par with Rodney's level of expertise but she seemed fairly capable.

At least he'd convinced her to speak Rodney which was probably going on right now. That meant he had, Sheppard checked his watch, at least twenty minutes until he had to get ready. So he cracked his knuckles and removed his bookmark. It was time to read.

* * *

Carson finished his report and took another sip of coffee. It was so sad to hear that Dr. Simone had been an operative. From what he had heard they were being sent back through the gate to Stargate command where they would face more questioning and then be sent to prison.

He'd like Simone but after this...At least Sidge had turned out alright. He'd heard some of the rumors flying around that she had helped Rodney. He wasn't sure about all of them but it seemed believeable.

As he sat another report in his basket to be taken up to Elizabeth, as he liked to hand write his reports rather than use the computer, a soft knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts.

"Dr. Beckett?'

It was Sgt. Bates. "Yes Sgt...oh please have a seat."

He took the seat and showed the book in his hands. "I wanted to give it back so you could read it."

"Ah why thank you."

* * *

Ronon coughed from the nasty grape flavor, as a nurse gave him second spoonful. He ached horribly and it had been embarrassing that he'd fainted in the jumper bay when he'd been needed most. He settled down into the bed, his book resting on his chest and he looked at the doors.

Teyla walked in and took a seat in a chair next to the bed. "Sheppard just told me the news. How are you feeling?"

"Ashamed."

"For what?"

"For fain...passing out when I was needed."

"That's not your fault Ronon."

He scrubbed his forehead. "I should have listened to the nurse and called the security team to follow Rodney. I didn't realize..."

Teyla put a hand on his arm. "You needn't worry. They didn't escape and no one is worse for wear..." A bout of coughing ensued.

Ronon shook his head. "You finally caught it."

Teyla nodded her head. "I was hoping the Athosian Herbal tea remedies I've been drinking would allay the flu."

"You should see Beckett..."

"No I..."

"What's this my love?" Beckett said as Bates walked by and out of the infirmary.

"Its nothing..."

Ronon smirked. "She has the flu um cold."

Beckett looked at her closely. "Oh really?"

"Carson I'm fine...I will manage."

"Nope love its into the infirmary bed with yah."

"But I have..."

"No butts love."

A nurse came by with scrubs and Teyla stared at them perturbed.

Ronon coughed before adding, "You shouldn't worry."

Teyla rolled her eyes and grabbed the scrubs.

* * *

"Look I'm really sorry for all the confusion Rodney but…I'm just sorry," Sidge explained in the mess hall, reaching for his hand.

Rodney looked down at his meat loaf, depressed. "Sure you are," He said pulling his hand away.

"No really I didn't do any of this on purpose. I feel really bad that you thought…look can we agree to be friends at least?"

Rodney looked up. "I…'d rather be alone right now."

Sidge closed her eyes. "Okay…"

As she got up and started to walk away he spoke up, "Sydney…"

She turned back, "Yes?"

"Want to have some coffee sometime?"

She smiled. "Sure…"

"How about later?"

Sidge blushed. "Well ah…um…I'm kind of busy later…"

"Well it's okay. I excuse you from whatever it is you have to do."

Sidge began inching her way back. "Well no it's not work…I have a date…"

Rodney blinked. "With who? Who is it?"

She cringed. "Sheppard," she said before making a break for the door.

Rodney speared his meat loaf with his fork, scrambling to get to his feet. "WHAT?!"

* * *

_fine_


End file.
